The California Nemesis Conundrum
by angelofjoy
Summary: This is a Sequel to The Hawaii Sunscreen Algorithm. When NCIS calls Steve and the Team to California for a case, he decides its time to reconnect with a group of old Friends, and to maybe introduce some new agents into the family. This is a triple crossover but because I can't link with NCIS:LA I'll just have to mention them here.
1. I'm Going, Going Down To Cali, Cali

**A/N: Hello Everyone, this story is a sequel to The Hawaii Sunscreen Algorithm. It was a journey into my folly, and I plan to bring you back there with this one. For this story I am introducing the characters from NCIS: Los Angeles into the mix, but as before this is going to focus on Hawaii Five-O and The Big Bang Theory. If you haven't read The Hawaii Sunscreen Algorithm, you might want to pick up on some of the little references, but if you aren't so inclined, I hope you enjoy my folly once again. **

**To those of you who have read the Algorithm and who told me that I had to send the Five-Os to California, this story is for you. I wasn't going to write a sequel but because so many of you messaged and commented that I should, I am. Thank you for being loyal followers of mine, and I hope you love this interaction between of favorite superheroes and our favorite super geeks.**

Chapter 1: I'm Going, Going Down to Cali, Cali

Steve McGarrett sat drumming a pen on his desk protector, watching the rain fall increasingly more violently on his office window. God forbid he'd be bored. Five-O had so many cases they could take over from HPD, but Steve was kind of in a mood to be bored. It had been quite a while since he'd gone anywhere exciting, and even through he loved Hawaii and had been pretty badly injured in North Korea, he was pining to find intrigue in a new place.

During his time with the SEALs he'd been many, many places; never staying in the same one for very long. Japan had been all about work. Korea had been all about helping Jenna. Both places had proved to be huge disappointments. Steve wanted adventure, he wanted to see something different for a little while, wanted to go away but most of all he wanted an adventure and he wanted to take all his friends with him. After hearing about, but not getting much information into the case, Steve felt a little jealous of Chin and Danny, for having ventured off the island and to California for a case, but at the same time, he didn't regret what he had done to put Wo Fat behind bars.

As Steve sat, getting antsy by the moment, while his crew seemed busy enough out in the common area without him, his eyes wandered to the photographs that had found their way into his office. Grace's picture along with a rather crazy one of Danny, Chin and Kono at the beach were placed on one of the book shelves, but the one that had really caught his eye was one that was taken when he had made some of the most unlikely friends he'd ever had.

The photo had been taken at a comic book convention held on the island in which four Californian scientists made it their mission to make Steve and Danny, and their whole crew, into Superheroes. The photo was of Steve and Danny, complete with Batman and Superman t-shirts, with their new friends Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter, who had decided to dress up like Danny and Steve, complete with badges and bullet proof vests. Steve chuckled to himself remembering the whole Hawaii adventure that was had by the Californians and desired an adventure like that to happen once again.

It had been quite some time since Steve had heard from the gang back on the mainland. Sheldon had Skyped a few times, but life, cases, everything that Steve was not finding interest in at the moment had happened, and they had not spoken in almost a year.

Steve's phone rang in that moment, his office phone, and as he glanced at it he picked it up.

"Hey Sheldon, I was just thinking about you!" Steve stated as he had caught a glimpse at the Pasadena area code.

"Um…Steve McGarrett…?" the male voice asked but it wasn't Sheldon.

"This is Steve McGarrett." Steve stated and looked at the number again.

"Sam Hanna," Sam stated, "When am I gonna get that steak dinner you owe Me." he asked with a laugh.

"Come to Hawaii and I'll buy that for you!" Steve snickered to himself.

"I was already in Hawaii, named the Camaro, and caught one of _our_ guys hiding out on _your_ island. Where were you?" Sam asked.

"Top secret mission," Steve stated trying to be vague, "oh, and Danny didn't like the name you picked for the Camaro, but he renamed it when he got back from California."

"Was the top secret mission the one involving you crashing a plane that was carrying Wo Fat on it?" Sam asked, "I'm NCIS, my friend, nothing is top secret from us."

"I should have known," Steve sighed.

"We know you caught the guy, so good on you," Sam stated.

"So did you call just to get me to buy you the most expensive steak you can find, or is there a problem officer?" Steve asked mockingly.

"Actually, it's a courtesy call," Sam stated, "What can you tell me about Frank Delano."

"He dropped off our radar, but he's wanted on multiple charges here in Hawaii." Steve stated as he sat up, his boredom disappearing. "Unfortunately because of my other endeavors, I can't tell you as much as some of the people on my crew could."

"You wouldn't want to pack up the crew and come and lend us a hand back here on the Mainland, would you, because your boy Frank has killed three navy officers and is ransoming two more for information on you." Sam asked indirectly.

"Why does Frank want information on me?" Steve asked suspiciously.

"That's what we have to find out; preferably before Frank kills anymore naval officers." Sam answered.

"Alright, we're on our way." Steve stated and hung up the phone.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, today marks the beginning of our two week count down to Comic Con!" Doctor Sheldon Cooper stated once he had all of the member of his social group gathered in one space. "This is going to be a big year for all of us, and we're coming off a really great year of previous comic book conventions, so good work all of you, but Comic Con is the big one, the grand daddy of them all, and we can't be wasting our time. Leonard, give us a rundown!" he ordered.

"Friday, Saturday and Sunday in San Diego, with big panels, twice as many venders and cosplay giants from around the world," Leonard stated, "people, this isn't a joke."

"Howard, who are we dying to see?" Sheldon asked as he paced before the gathering.

"_Doctor Who's_ panel looks to be the high light, with _Once Upon a Time_, keeping a close second, but as always, _Star Trek_ has a discussion and fan appreciation every day of the convention. Once again, Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner will be in attendance and with our new friendship status with Will Wheaton, we are on the ins, for the _Next Generation_ panel and VIP walk." Howard explained.

"You realize I'm going for the shopping right?" Penny stated.

"We expect you to," Sheldon retorted, "we can't have any distractions Penny, so we expect you to be as far away from the convention as possible all three days. The only reason we're taking you is because Bernadette, as one of the group by marriage, is going to need entertaining. Amy, you're onboard for the same reasons."

"Understood," Amy stated as she nodded. "But I do want to go to the _Once Upon a Time _panel."

"Here, here," Penny and Bernadette echoed.

"We are so happy that you three have found a good, quality show to get behind." Sheldon smiled, "but again, we can't have you as distractions so you will be on your own for the panel and anything you do afterward at the convention."

"We're going to the panel, gonna oogle the pretty men like prince charming and then we're leaving," Penny stated un-amused by Sheldon's tone.

"Do you think he's gotten worse since he met the super SEAL?" Amy asked as she leaned in toward Leonard.

"Absolutely, he thinks his got experience as a navy commander now and it's driving me crazy!" Leonard whispered.

"Now, let's talk cosplay people!" Sheldon stated and turned around one of his dry erase boards. "This year we have to come up with something spectacular for the fandom parades, but as always I think we should stick to what we know."

"Too bad no one in California knows who Five-O is. Those were some of your best costumes yet." Bernadette stated reminiscently.

"Affirmative, Bernadette, but irrelevant for this convention," Sheldon stated.

"Do you really need us to be here?" Penny asked with a sigh.

"No, you can take the ladies and leave now that we are through the initial discussion and you know you're exiled from the Convention." Sheldon stated.

"Woo hoo," Penny stated and stood, "come on girls I have a bottle of wine and the whole season of _Once Upon a Time_ on the digital recorder, let's go oogle prince charming!"

"Bye," Bernadette and Amy stated as they followed Penny out.

Once in the hallway Penny's phone rang and flashed Commander Steve McGarrett's face.

"Steve hey!" Penny cried. "It's been so long!"

"Penny, are you with everyone?" Steve whispered.

"No, why?" she asked.

"Cause I need you're help." Steve stated, "But I don't want the guys to know."

"Ooh top secret!" Penny giggled.

"Not really, I just need you to pick us up from the Air Port if you can."

"Sure thing Commander McGarrett, when?" Penny asked.

"Tomorrow, 6am, and no one can know we're there."

"Ten four." Penny stated as the phone went dead and she turned to see Bernadette and Amy watching with millions of questions just waiting to burst forth. "Oh do I have a story for you." Penny stated and rushed into her apartment.


	2. It Had Better Be Aliens

**A/N: Hello to the few of you that I know are out there waiting patiently for an update. Thank you for showing interest in the story. I mean for it to be so very random and fun. I know that Crossovers don't get as much action as the regular stories do, but I know that those of you that follow my usual writing will enjoy the folly I have planned.**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 2: It Had Better Be Aliens

"Danny, I need to talk to you!" Steve stated as he popped his head out of his office door and then disappeared back inside.

"Oh Brah, you are in trouble." Kono teased from her place beside Danny.

Danny shook his head and rolled his eyes before leaving Kono alone at the smart table.

"What?" Danny asked as he fell into one of the chairs in front of Steve's desk. "No, wait, let me guess. Aliens. It's Aliens this time isn't it?" he asked sarcastically. "It had better be aliens or big foot because I'm swamped out there wrapping cases and getting back logged desk work done while you sit in here and daydream."

"It's not aliens, its Frank Delano," Steve stated. "And I wasn't daydreaming."

"Oh that bastard is as good as an alien. Has he resurfaced?" Danny asked, "And yes, I saw you staring into nothingness and drumming a pen on your desk. You were daydreaming!"

"I've been making travel plans for all of us. We are heading to California to help NCIS with a case. A case involving our boy Frank and three murdered naval officers; two are still missing," Steve explained.

"Whoa, wait, Hetty called you?" Danny asked nervously.

"No, Sam called, why?"

"Because Hetty is scary," Danny stated with a sigh.

"I'm telling her you named the Camaro after her," Steve smirked.

"No, please don't. She'll use some secretly patented mind melting technique on me and my brain will explode inside my skull!" Danny stated seriously, "she can do shit like that Steve, she's like…a mutant or something. She's like Professor Xavier."

"We'll you're really going to have to suck up to her and get on her good side because you're going to see her tomorrow. We are booked on the next flight out. I need you to run over to the coroner's office and pick up Max while I rally the troops here." Steve instructed.

Danny looked at Steve quizzically, "why" he asked.

"Because we are going to Comic Con while we are in California!" Steve stated with excitement as he handed his tablet to Danny, "we're also going to surprise our scientist friends by showing up with Pizza for Pizza and Vintage Video Game night." Steve beamed proudly.

Danny watched Steve questioningly.

"What"

"Three naval officers are dead, Frank managed to get off the islands, and NCIS called to get our help and you're more interested in pizza with Sheldon and the guys?" Danny asked and shook his head before standing up and heading for the door.

"Learn to have a little fun Danny!" Steve shouted at Danny's back as he left Steve's office.

"Maybe I could have some fun if you would get some work done around here!" Danny yelled back and slammed the door.

"What's going on?" Kono asked quizzically as Danny came out of the office and walked right past her.

"I'm not really sure," Danny sighed. "I'm going to let Superman try and explain it to you to see if you see it the same way he does," Danny added and walked right out of the office as Kono turned to look at Steve and he waved her into his office.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"You've got to be kidding" Amy stated excitedly when Penny had told her girlfriends about Steve and the crew from Five-O

"And all he said was he needs a 6am pick up?" Bernadette asked.

"Yup," Penny smiled and poured out the wine for her friends.

"How mysterious it all seems," Amy smiled.

"So Bernadette, I'm going to need you to sneak away tomorrow morning because they aren't all going to fit in my car!" Penny stated.

"You can pick me up on the way to meet Penny," Amy added. "Just because I don't drive doesn't mean I'm going to be left out of the intrigue." Amy stated when Penny shot her a look of confusion. "You weren't thinking of leaving me behind, were you?" Amy asked with a pout painted across her face.

"Oh God no!" Penny stated and back peddled, "you are the brains of this operation. How are we going to sneak Bernadette away from Howard without giving the whole plot away?" she asked.

"This is going to be difficult." Amy sighed.

"Why, you two are geniuses. Can't you think of something?" Penny asked.

"Remember the Wildebeest debacle? Bernadette is a terrible liar," Amy stated.

"It's true, I really am," Bernadette sighed.

"Just tell Howard you have to head into the lab early to get results for a sleep study. If he protests, tell him you have 25 men wired in and you're waiting to see if they wake up with erections due to the placebo you gave them under the pretext that it was a pill designed to aid with their erectile dysfunction." Penny stated sarcastically.

"That actually might work, bestie, you're a genius!" Amy stated after several uncomfortable moments of silence.

"And then you can actually go into work once we've dropped the guys off at the location Steve is going to text to me." Penny smiled.

"A top secret drop location?" Amy asked excitedly, "how very mysterious."

"I guess," Penny sighed.

"Oh, my friends, I believe there may be adventure afoot!" Amy smiled.

"Ooh" Bernadette added excitedly.

Penny rolled her eyes.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Danny walked into the medical center and as always found his way easily to the second floor where Max's office could be found. At the door to the office Danny found two bags waiting and Max, divest of his lab coat, but seated and playing a jolly Irish jig on the piano.

"Top of the morning you yah," Max smiled as he spun around on the piano bench.

"It's after noon Max!" Danny stated.

"Oh but I am currently on holidays. An impromptu vacation to California; so I have already lost track of time," Max stated happily. "Thanks to Five-O and your efficiency, my calendar was clear and as you have inducted me into the task force already, I was so very happy to accept the invitation to come alone. I had a good chunk of holiday days back logged so I took them all as soon as Steve called." Max explained.

"So I'm guessing you heard all the _good_ news before I did." Danny said sarcastically.

"Oh yes, I suppose that might be true," Max said as he jumped up and started shutting down his equipment. "You know I've always wanted to go to Comic Con but I've never had the opportunity to do so, until this morning when Commander McGarrett called and invited me to tag along on the mission, and to plan for the five of us to attend the convention at the end of our two weeks in California."

"Two weeks" Danny gasped.

"Oh I know, it's simply not enough time to plan for something as big as Comic Con but I'll manage." Max smiled. "Not to worry, Daniel, I'll have everything under control." He added as he grabbed his bags at the door. "Shall we go?" he asked with another smile.

"Yeah," Danny sighed, "and we're going to have to make a quick stop at my place so that I can grab my things for a two week stay on the mainland."

"Oh it's going to be glorious!" Max stated excitedly and Danny was sure he'd never seen the medical examiner quite so happy in all the time they had known one another.

**A/N: I made reference to an episode of the Big Bang Theory in this chapter. For those of you who don't follow the show, in the episode Penny and Amy send Bernadette in as a spy when she and Howard are invited to have dinner with Leonard and his new girlfriend Pria. (Pria is Raj's sister) Amy believes that Pria is going to bad mouth Penny so she comes up with a plan to send Bernadette in to have her feed Pria and Leonard false information about Penny to make Penny seem so much better and to make Leonard jealous. It back fires when Bernadette gets flustered and can't handle lying anymore. The Episode is called 'the wildebeest implementation'. Bernadette is the Wildebeest.**

**I've also referenced another one of my stories in this chapter. It's called Hetty, you should read it. It's funny!**


	3. The Inside Outsiders

**A/N: Hello everyone! Thanks for the follows and the comments. You guys are awesome. So for the first time in this story we get a very NCIS:LA centered chapter. I hope you like it. This is my first real attempt at writing for those characters. I hope I do them justice.**

**Enjoy.**

Chapter 3: The Inside Outsiders

Danny returned to the office to find it empty except for Steve and his bag was packed and waiting at the office door. Danny and Max dropped their own bags with Steve's and then made their way inside the office space.

"Alright, everything is organized. We have a transport ready to take us to the airport and I've finished all the paperwork you keep telling me I never do; so ha!" Steve stated as he came out of his office and slammed the files down on the smart table. "High efficiency right here" he added and pointed at himself.

"Oh that's great. I'm so happy." Danny stated sarcastically and walked off toward his office.

"Does he seem angry to you?" Max asked as he turned toward Steve.

"Yup," Steve sighed and followed Danny into his office. "What did I do now?" Steve asked as the door closed behind him.

"Two weeks…you said nothing about two weeks away." Danny said angrily. "The weekend you want to be at Comic Con, I'm supposed to have Grace."

"I didn't think…" Steve said as shock and disappointment crossed his face as he sat down and saw the sadness in Danny's eyes.

"Not that I had anything special planned but you know how few and far between some of these weekends can be. Sure Grace is on summer vacation right now, but she also has tennis lessons and hula lessons and piano lessons and surfing lessons and all kinds of other things that take her time. On this short notice I don't think Rachel will be very happy and I know for a fact that she won't let me take Grace with us." Danny said, sighed and then fell into his own chair.

"Do you want to stay behind?" Steve asked but there was disappointment in his looks because, truth be told, he really wanted Danny to come along.

"I may have to if I can't get Rachel to be kind." Danny said. "I'd be going for the case Steve and if that takes two weeks its justifiable, but I'm not about to let it drag out just so I can go to a convention over spending time with my daughter."

"So you're coming till the case is done?" Steve asked brightening a little.

"Yes," Danny stated, "and if I can talk Rachel into forgiving me this one weekend and giving me the next, then I'll stay till the end, but if Rachel wont switch out my weekends, I'm coming back to Hawaii when this week is out."

"Okay, I'm good with that," Steve smiled, stood and walked out of the office.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"Alright, what do you have for me Mr. Beale?" Henrietta Lang asked as she arrived in the opps center ready for follow up on their current and developing case.

"Frank Delano, former Honolulu police officers. He is wanted on multiple counts of murder, armed robbery, corruption and assault of officers. He escaped from Hawaii state prison; he tried to kill one officer Kalakaua, twice, and is now holding two naval intelligence officers for ransom." Eric Beale explained.

"Lieutenant Michael McGuire and Lieutenant Maksim Holick were taken hostage from a bar near Venice Beach, while Lieutenants Rodgers, Brooklyn and Faust were shot and killed out side the bar before their colleagues arrived. We have video surveillance of the assault, murder and kidnapping." Nell Jones added keeping the flow of the debriefing on the move.

"Delano has sent LAPD his ransom demands, which are access to information into Lieutenant Commander McGarrett's files, cases and career with the United States Navy. But this is really our case and LAPD has had no problems handing it over to us. If we don't give into Delano's demands, he will kill McGuire and Holick." Eric finished.

"We don't negotiate with terrorists." Hetty stated, "So you need to find Delano before he does anything stupid. What are the connections to Commander McGarrett?" she asked.

"Aside for Frank's connections with Five-O and HPD, McGarrett has no ties to McGuire or Holick." Nell stated. "At least not that we know of…yet."

"He was Naval Intelligence before becoming a SEAL," Sam Hanna stated breaking the flow of conversation between Nell, Hetty and Eric. "But he was never based out of California."

"I believe you've been in contact with Five-O Mr. Hanna." Hetty smiled.

"They are on their way." Sam smiled back, "and they're bringing everything they have on Frank Delano, including an insider into Frank's organization."

"Who" Marty Deeks asked with a smirk.

"Kono," Both Sam and Callen stated together.

"Sounds like on tough dude. One name, wow!" Deeks mocked.

Kensi, Sam and Callen exchanged a knowing glance but said nothing.

"You'll meet Five-O in the morning, at the boat house. Bring them back here," Hetty ordered, "in the mean time, find me a connection between McGuire, Holick and McGarrett."

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"Alright, I'm onboard for the two weeks!" Danny stated as he came out of his office, "As long as I bring back all kinds of awesome California 'swag' for Grace."

"We were worried for a minute there," Chin smirked. "What would Hetty say if you didn't come along?"

"Oh Hetty," Danny sighed, "I'd almost forgot about here. I wish I were staying here now."

"No brah, surf in Cali is amazing this time of the year, you know you wanna be out on that water every morning with me." Kono smiled.

"To watch her take Deeks right off the water," Chin winked.

"He doesn't know what he's in for!" Danny laughed.

"Who is Deeks?" Kono asked.

"Oh, just you wait!" Danny smile, "he's…special… to say the least."

"This is going to be a great trip," Steve laughed.

"You all know we're going for the case, right?" Danny asked, "Everything else is going to have to take a side line to the case and Frank Delano."

"All work and no play make Danny a dull boy," Steve mocked.

"I'm not going for the case," Max stated. "I'm on holiday."

"We know we are going for duty's sake," Steve said seriously, finally, "Frank is our guy and it was very kind of NCIS to include us in the case, but they have jurisdiction and they will be working the case as we act as informants."

"Couldn't you do that over the phone?" Danny asked.

The other four people in the office groaned.

"Where's the fun in that?" Kono asked.

"You had better be going in as bait." Danny stated and pointed at his partner.

"Oh I'm sure Frank will be thrilled to see me in California." Steve smirked.

"What could he possibly want with information on you?" Kono asked. "He was never interested in naval intelligence or military secrets when I worked with him. It was all about the money and revenge."

"I guess he's graduated to bigger fish," Steve shrugged, "we did put him in jail."

"Or it's all a cover for something bigger. All we can assume now is that he won't hesitate to kill hostages as he's killed three naval officers already. Do you know who they are Steve?" Danny asked.

"Sam didn't give me any names but I'm sure we'll find out all about them in the morning." Steve answered.

"Well, we best be on our way," Chin stated as two officers, in street cloths, walked into the office and the members of Five-O shut down the smart system for the foreseeable future.


	4. Secrecy Is Of The Utmost Importance

**A/N: This is a filler chapter that will lead up to the big bang guys meeting the NCIS peeps. It's going to be mayhem! **

Chapter 4: Secrecy is of the Utmost Importance

Penny, Bernadette and Amy stood calmly and quietly sipping their early morning coffee as they waited at the gate for the arrival of their Island Friends. The flight that had been forwarded to Penny, and was on time, and as they stood there they saw the passengers starting to disembark from the plane and come through to the main terminal.

"Oh this is exciting," Bernadette stated as she stood on her tip toes to see into the crowd of people.

"Kono" Penny and Amy shouted at the same time as they saw their friend coming through the crowd.

"Aloha," Kono smiled and wrapped her arms around each of the ladies individually.

"Where is Jenna?" Penny asked as the group of five congregated around them and the other woman of their former party was not seen.

"It's a long, convoluted, story and I will tell you everything but you have to promise me a girl's night out to get all the details." Kono smiled. "It's a story that needs much liquor consumed to make it in the least bit tell-able."

"That just happens to be what we do best!" Penny laughed.

Steve and Danny exchanged a worried look as Chin shook his head and Max merely stood by and smiled.

"So, what's the super secret plan Commander?" Penny asked flirtingly.

"Unfortunately, before we do anything remotely fun, we have to work," Steve answered.

"I don't, I'm on vacation. I refuse to look at any bodies." Max stated.

"You can hang with us," Amy smiled, "exploring the world of neurobiology and microbiology."

"Or you could come shopping with me," Penny smiled.

"All sound quite interesting and very amusing," Max stated with a smile, "this is going to be the best vacation ever and I am determined to be completely at your disposal and amused."

"Then it is settled," Steve laughed, "While we deal with the primary reason we've come here, you can show our medical examiner the time of his life. Take care of him Penny; he's an extremely important member of Five-O."

Max blushed.

"Alright, sounds good, where am I dropping you off?" Penny asked with a smiled as the whole party headed toward the baggage carousels.

"This is the address," Steve stated and showed Penny his phone.

"We know how to get there," Danny smirked and motioned to Chin, "It's a boat house and it's a little tricky to find, but we'll help you."

"Alright, well let's get this party started!"

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Steve, Danny, Chin and Kono walked into the boat house to see Sam and Callen waiting for them.

"You made it, finally," Sam laughed as he shook hands with Steve and then pulled him into an embrace. "I was beginning to think you were a ghost, but I know better because you aren't one of us." He added with a wink and motioned toward Callen. "This is Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett. This is G. Callen."

"What's the G stand for?" Steve asked with a smile as he shook hands with Callen, "Or is that classified information for security purposes?"

"I actually don't know what its stands for." Callen stated honestly.

"Just call him Callen, or G, its all very gangstah," Sam laughed, "and works well for him in our line of work."

"You know the life," Steve chuckled.

"It's good to see you all again," Callen stated, not quite as cheerfully, but pleasantly enough.

"Please let this not be one of those cases where I'm going to have to be inoculated by Hetty," Danny stated sarcastically but seriously all at the same time as he smiled and shook Callen's hand.

"I heard that Detective Williams." Hetty stated as her face popped up on one of the monitors.

"I was vaccinated before I came." Danny stated and threw up his hands in defeat.

Hetty smirked.

"Bring them to me," Hetty ordered as six pairs of eyes turned toward her. "I want you all in opps in thirty minutes!"

"So much for getting ourselves settled." Chin sighed.

"I hope you slept on the plane." Sam laughed.

"Not a wink," Danny sighed.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Max walked into the apartments complex first with Penny, as Bernadette did actually have to head into the lab for work and Amy, though busy with her own research, went into her own lab just to get out of lab duties for the day. Max had made Penny aware of the arrangements that had been hastily made for the five travelers and, as it had been before, Penny was left to check the members of Five-O into their hotel, deposit all of their luggage and make sure that everything was ready for their stay. She sighed to herself seeing the similarity to her own vacationing in Hawaii, but she knew that it had to be done and Max has been most helpful.

As they walked up the several flights of stairs, because Penny was already ready to shower again and changed, they met Leonard and Sheldon coming down.

"Max!" Leonard stated in surprise and confusion.

"Good morning Doctor Bergman," Sheldon smiled.

"Good morning Doctor Cooper, Doctor Hofstadter," Max stated with a smile and a wave.

"What are you doing here?" Leonard asked.

"I am here for Comic Con," Max stated happily.

"But Comic Con is two weeks away." Leonard said.

"Leonard, Doctor Bergman is right to be here early. Comic Con is no laughing matter, you must be prepared and orient yourself with what is happening, familiarize yourself with the convention center and the venders, and understand the lay out of the land before you can enjoy the convention. Also, Max is going to need time to develop his cosplay ideas and he's going to need time to do that because I am sure he didn't bring his costumes with him." Sheldon stated. "You are right to be here early Max. Your thoroughness and organizational skills do you credit. You will have a wonderful time." He added with a smile.

"I don't mean to be rude, Max, I was simply curious as to your being here in our apartment building when you could be in San Diego if Comic Con is your real reason for visiting California." Leonard stated.

"Ah, yes, I see the confusion now," Sheldon stated.

"Penny picked us up from the airport this morning. It was a very spur of the moment trip for all of us." Max explained, "But in two weeks we will all be heading to San Diego for Comic Con." He added cheerfully.

"Who is all here?" Leonard asked.

"Oh, everyone," Max stated, "But they are on top secret business with the NCIS office based in Los Angeles."

"And they didn't tell us?" Sheldon asked sadly as hurt and shock crossed his face, "Surely Commander McGarrett would have called."

"Oops!" Max stated and covered his face, "it was supposed to be a surprise!"

"Oh, well, that I can get behind." Sheldon smiled.

"But you hate surprises," Leonard stated.

"I do when I don't know about them," Sheldon corrected, "but this can hardly be classified as a surprise now, unless, we surprise them. Come along, Max, you will take us to our friends now."

"But we have to go to work," Leonard stated hesitantly.

"We can get out of that," Sheldon stated haughtily. "There are far more important things to be dealing with in law enforcement, Leonard, we much go and volunteer our assistance."

"I don't know if that is a good idea Sheldon, the NCIS crew is very secretive and the case is of a delicate nature." Max explained.

"All the more reason for people familiar with Five-Os procedures to be involved," Sheldon stated, "Come along, men, we much fetch our colleagues from the university and assemble at once. You do know where we are going, don't you?" Sheldon asked as he turned to Max.

"Here," Penny, who had been standing by and ignored the whole time, stated. "This is the location where I dropped off Commander McGarrett and the rest of Five-O."

"Perfect," Sheldon smiled as he punched the coordinates into his phone's GPD, and continued down the stairs.

"Again I get ditched, this is awesome!" Penny stated sarcastically to herself as all three men disappeared down the stairwell.


	5. Intruder Alert

**A/N: Just a little something for fun. You wanted everyone to meet, where here is that moment.**

**Enjoy.**

Chapter 5: Intruder Alert

"Welcome back," Deeks smiled as the four members of Five-O walked into the office with Sam and Callen. "And hello to you," he added as he jumped forward to greet Kono.

Kono rolled her eyes.

"Aloha," she smiled and shook his hand.

A whistle caught the attention of the whole crew before full introductions could be made.

"Hetty wanted all of you in the opps center six minutes ago." Eric stated from the top of the stairs as all eyes turned on him.

"Blame it on the traffic, Eric," Sam grumbled as the herd followed him up the stairs.

In the opps center they found Hetty watching the monitors as information built up all around her, as Nell and Eric moved with the evidence.

"It's good to see you again detectives," Hetty stated as Chin and Danny entered the opps center.

"Holy cow," Kono gasped at the sight of all the technology.

Steve just smirked as he looked around at the familiar enough set up – he had been in naval intelligence after all.

"Good morning, Miss. Lange," Danny smiled.

Hetty raised and eyebrow to him.

"I'm not the principal, Detective Williams," she stated with a smile.

"Then why do I feel like I've been caught with my hand in the cookie jar?" Danny asked.

"Well how should I know? Are you feeling guilty about something?" Hetty retorted.

Danny shook his head, "not that I'm aware of."

Steve coughed, "Camaro," and cleared his throat.

Danny spun on his partner.

"And you must be Lieutenant Commander Steven J. McGarrett," Hetty stated as she reached out to shake his hand.

"Steve is just fine, ma'am."

"Did your mother name you Steve?" Hetty asked.

"No." Steve answered.

"Then Steve is not fine," Hetty smiled. "It will be Steven or Commander McGarrett within these walls. That is unless you absolutely prefer Steve."

"Do you prefer Hetty over Henrietta, Miss. Lange?" Steve asked with a smirk.

"Steve it is then," Hetty smiled with knowingness about her looks.

"How do you do that?" Danny whispered in his partner's ear.

Steve shrugged with a smile of pride.

"So where is this Kono guy who's got all the inside intell on Frank Delano, and who is too cool for a last name?" Deeks asked and looked around the room.

Kensi face palmed herself feeling embarrassed for her partner.

"I'm Officer Kono Kalakaua, and I'm not cool enough to just be known by my first name." Kono stated and glanced at Deeks. "But I do have all the inside intell on you Detective Deeks."

"We're going to get along just fine," Kensi smiled as Deeks stared on with his foot in his mouth. "It will be nice to have another woman on the crew to kick Deeks' ass."

"On the street or on the water, I'm down." Kono stated confrontationally.

Deeks looked confused.

"Officer Kalakaua has won the national surf championship." Eric stated when Deeks looked around for answers. "This was before she became a cop, but I believe, I mean I know, she still spends a lot of time affiliated with the Coral Prince cooperation and surf club."

"Hello Eric," Kono smiled.

Eric smiled back and then caught Nell's questioning look and turned back to the computer he sat beside.

"You know her?" Deeks asked in shock as he walked toward Eric.

"She's a legend," Eric stated, "You need to spend more time on the water my friend."

"Like I said, I could take you any time, Deeks, you just name the place," Kono smirked.

Deeks fell silent as Kensi laughed at him.

"Alright, Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time to get down to business." Hetty announced as Eric and Nell shuffled images around the room.

"I know these three, but I don't know these two." Steve stated as formal photos of naval officers – including his own – popped up on the main screen in the opps center.

"You know the three victims?" Hetty asked, "But not the hostages?"

A shadow passed over Steve's face and Callen caught it.

"My career in the navy started with these three men. They knew me before anyone else." Steve stated, "David Rodgers, Scott Brooklyn and Philippe Faust were in my unit for basic training. We're talking years and years ago when I first joined up. They were with me through that, all the way to naval intelligence but I lost track of them when I went on to become a SEAL. I haven't seen, or spoken, to any of them in at least ten years, but I might know someone who has."

"Who?" Hetty asked.

"Lieutenant Catherine Rollins. She is stationed out of Pearl, with a permanent seat on the Enterprise." Steve answered. "She works Naval Intelligence."

"Like Star Trek?" Deeks asked with a laugh.

"It's an aircraft carrier," Steve stated.

"Called the Enterprise, nice," Deeks smiled.

"When was the last time your spoke with Lieutenant Rollins?" Hetty asked.

"Just before we left the island," Steve answered.

"Eric, make contact with Lieutenant Rollins and see if she can't tell us something about her colleagues, all of them." Hetty instructed just as an alarm started to sound in the office.

"That's the alarm from the boathouse," Nell stated and jumped for her computer.

Within moments all of the camera feeds from the boathouse were up on the screens.

"There are five people lurking around the boathouse." Nell stated.

"How did they get in there?" Sam asked in shock.

"They're with us," Steve stated as he saw the video feed of Max, Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"Sheldon, what are you doing?" Steve asked as Sheldon jumped, spun around and looked at the plasma screen that had sprung to life behind him.

"Ah, so it is true, you have come to California without giving us the information to prepare for your visit!" Sheldon scolded as he looked at the screen.

"It was supposed to be a surprise!" Steve stated.

"We were quite surprised to see Doctor Bergman with Penny this morning." Leonard stated.

"But more surprised to hear that Detectives Williams and Kelly were in California recently and didn't have the common decency to make contact with their old friends." Sheldon scolded.

"It was a top secret operation, Sheldon, we were sworn to secrecy. We couldn't have called you even if we wanted to." Chin explained.

"We had every intention of coming to you this time around. In fact, we are inviting you to come out for Pizza tonight." Steve smirked.

"Well it is Pizza night," Sheldon stated and his mood lightened a little.

"Seriously, you are using state of the art technology to make a dinner date?" Deeks asked as he broke into the conversation.

Silence fell between the Five-Os and their friends.

"How did you get into that secured location?" Sam asked to break the uncomfortable silence that had developed as he shot a look at Steve.

"We are physicists, a little lock is no match for the awesome force that is my intelligence," Sheldon stated haughtily. "Who are you?"

"I'm Agent Sam Hanna, NCIS, and you have broken in to a top secret government safe house. We were about to have you arrested."

"No need to jump to conclusions, Agent Hanna, I'm certain that our friends and colleagues from Five-O will vouch for our being here." Sheldon stated.

"Sheldon, what are you doing in the boathouse?" Steve asked when the questioning had circled long enough.

"I'm looking for you, where are you?" Sheldon asked. "Penny gave us the address for the location that she dropped you off at and Max helped us find our way here. So, again I ask, where are you?"

"I can't tell you that," Steve sighed as Hetty shot him a warning glance. "Why are you looking for us? I'm sure Max told you we would find you."

"I did, this isn't my fault, please don't arrest me." The frighten Medical Examiner stated as he jumped into the frame.

"We have come to lend our assistance," Sheldon stated, "We aren't getting arrested." He added confidently. "As before, we are at your service Commander."

"I assure you, you may be arrested," Hetty stated, "if you don't leave that location immediately and forget you ever saw it."

"We're leaving," Howard stated frantically as he grabbed Sheldon's arm.

"I beg your pardon, ma'am, but we are not going anywhere until we get some answers!" Sheldon stated as he broke out of Leonard's grasp. "We have assisted Five-O on a case before. We are well aware of their operating protocols."

"This isn't a Five-O matter, it is an NCIS investigation," Hetty corrected.

"Then it shouldn't matter to you, or your investigation, if you hand over our friends to us." Sheldon stated.

"They are part of this investigation," Hetty corrected but a smile spread across her face.

"Then so are we," Sheldon stated putting his foot down.

"As far as we can tell, at this time, there is nothing scientific about this case, Sheldon." Steve stated, "We'd love for you to help, but this has nothing to do with you."

"But it may," Sheldon stated.

"Sheldon, you're going to get us all killed!" Howard yelled, "Let's go!"

"I am not going anywhere," Sheldon stated and sat down in one of the chairs. "No, I will call their bluff, I am not going anywhere until I see Steve and Danny and they give us some answers, or we are aloud to offer our expertise. You dare not say no to three physicists, a medical examiner and an engineer. We are assets to the Five-O task force."

"Sheldon, I wouldn't play with these people if I were you," Danny warned.

"You say that you have a Medical Examiner on hand?" Hetty asked.

"Yes ma'am, I'm Doctor Max Berman. I work for the Honolulu Police department and I have been assigned specifically to cases pertaining to Five-O," Max explained. "but I am on vacation."

Hetty and Callen exchanged a silent glance.

"Eight of you, go back to the boathouse and settle this." Hetty stated with a smirk on her face.

"On our way," Callen stated and Five-O followed the Agents out of the opps center.

"And Agent Callen, bring me that Medical Examiner." Hetty ordered.


	6. Pull The Wool Over Our Eyes

**A/N: Hello everyone. Sorry it's taken so long to write this chapter. I will admit to not knowing exactly where I want to go with this story but I am sure after I see the season premier of Five-O I'll have a better idea. Right now, I am just speculating on events that occur in the beginning of season three. **

Chapter 6: Pull the Wool over Our Eyes

Moments after the crews had left the video screen in the ops center flashed to life. Nell and Eric had worked diligently the whole time the crew was in ops and now their hard work was paying off.

"Good morning Lieutenant Rollins." Hetty smiled at the sight of the young woman who was larger then life on the big screen.

"Good morning Miss. Lange, it's good to see you again." Catherine smiled knowingly. "I've managed to pull the information on McGuire and Holick that Eric and Nell have been looking for. I hope it helps, and Admiral Winchester sends his regards."

"Thank you very much, my dear. Perhaps you can tell me what the ties are to Commander McGarrett and his work." Hetty asked after a quick scan of the files that had popped up on the screens around her.

"As far as I can tell, Commander McGarrett and his cases have no connections with either of these two men. They are both assigned to a special unit that monitors weapons and developments for our forces. They work hand in hand with other agencies and military personal. Sure, McGarrett used to spend his time seeking out illegal arms dealers all over the world but these guys primarily monitor weapons on U.S. soil. They sit at their desks all day and I can find any connections to their early careers and the commanders." Catherine explained.

"What are their connections to the other three victims then?" Nell asked as she too scanned the files that had appeared on the screens.

"As far as I can tell, again, this is only speculation but there isn't any. I think Frank Delano is playing with you to be completely honest. The three were connected with McGarrett but the extent of their naval relationship ended when Steve joined the SEALs. Personally I can't tell you if Steve remains in contact with them on a personal level and from what I can tell none of them provided intell into any of Steve's cases when he was with the SEALs. I can speculate, however, and say that it is possible once weapons were retrieved by the SEALs that they may have been catalogued by McGuire and Holick but there was a middle man in these cases and Steve didn't deal directly with any of your victims in the last ten years."

"So this is about weapons and money." Eric sighed. "Kono was right."

"If that is the case, then why does Frank think Steve, and information into him, can get him what he wants – whatever that is?" Nell asked. "Unless Holick and McGuire are decoys to keep Five-O occupied."

"Last we heard, out of Oahu, Frank had become and accomplice to one of Steve's biggest terrorist threats and particularly the man responsible for the death of his father – Wo Fat. Frank helped him escape from prison. He has ties all the way back to the last arms dealer that was apprehended by Steve and his SEAL team before he transferred into the reserves and took on the Five-O task force. If Frank truly wants information on Steve and the way he operates, that information will be for Wo Fat." Catherine explained.

Hetty stared at the screen for a long moment in deep contemplating. "Where is Wo Fat now?"

"We lost track of him at the same time we lost Frank." Catherine answered. "Something else you should probably know is that Steve's mother is still alive. She's in protective custody at this time, but she's been the target of Wo Fat for years. Steve found her at the same time that Wo Fat escaped from prison."

"And who knows where Mrs. McGarrett is being held?" Hetty asked as stone cold as ever she could muster it.

"Five-O."

"Off the record, Lieutenant Rollins, seeing as we have taken the entire Five-O task force off of the island…"

"If you are implying that Mrs. McGarrett is in danger, I believe it can be arranged that she could have heightened security."

"I'd arrange that if I were you, Lieutenant." Hetty said and then turned to Nell and Eric. "Get me everything you can on Wo Fat and his involvement with Frank Delano."

"Will do." They chimed together.

"Thank you, Catherine, for everything." Hetty smiled.

"As always, Henrietta, it's been a pleasure." Catherine smiled and the connection ended.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"Ah, at last," Sheldon stated as Steve, Danny and six other people walked into the boat house, "we were beginning to think that you'd gotten lost and we were about to send out a search party. This place is quite nice, but very boring."

"It's not meant to be fun." Sam stated grumpily.

Raj stared on in fear as Sheldon stuck his nose up in defiance of the authority.

"It's good to see you Sheldon," Steve smiled, "but I'm afraid there has been a rather large misunderstanding."

"I agree completely." Sheldon nodded as he stood, walked around the table and right up to Sam. "Good morning, I'm Doctor Sheldon Cooper, at your service."

"Agent Sam Hanna, NCIS," Sam stated awkwardly but shook Sheldon's hand all the same and then Sheldon turned and repeated his introductions to each member of the NCIS crew.

"Alright, now that we are properly acquainted, allow me to introduce my colleagues." Sheldon said as he turned to the three men with him, minus Max, "Doctor Leonard Hofstadter, Doctor Rajesh Koothrappali and Howard Wolowitz."

"Engineer and Astronaut, with NASA," Howard added.

"I thought the shuttle program was abolished." Deeks stated as he shook Howard's hand.

"Oh, it is, in the U.S. I just returned from the international space station, via Russia. My design for a new telescope is currently in use aboard the space station so I made the trip for the insulation." Howard explained proudly.

"Howard, why didn't you tell us?" Danny asked in shock. "That's amazing!"

"I also got married, Detective." Howard beamed.

"Congratulation Howard," Kono said as she jumped forward and hugged him. "That's amazing news!"

"Yes, indeed, it has been a good year to be a Wolowitz."

"Enough of this chit chat ladies and gentlemen. Please have a seat so that we might discuss the issues at hand." Sheldon stated, interrupting the niceties and moving as if he were presiding over on of his lectures.

Callen and Sam exchanged an amused, yet skeptically, glance.

"The situation at hand is that you broke into a government funded safe house and when we asked you to leave you wouldn't." Sam said once everyone was seated around the table.

"I was ready to leave," Max stated as he coward between Steve and Raj, and Raj nodded his agreement fearfully.

"You can't leave; Hetty would like to meet you." Callen stated addressing Max.

"But I'm on vacation."

"Not anymore." Deeks laughed.

"Now that seems quite unfair to me," Sheldon stated, "and hence where the issue arises. My esteemed colleagues and I are prepared to give whatever insight and expertise we can into your case, as we have been involved with Five-O before, but it seems to me that you are determined to refuse our help, and that, Agent Hanna, is rude."

"I'm sorry Sheldon. If I felt like you could help, I would be more then happy to ask for your expertise, but I believe that this case is a rescue mission."

"Not so fast, Agent Hanna," Hetty stated as one of the monitors sprung to life. "We just received word from LAPD. McGuire and Holick were pulled off the Sana Monica pier an hour ago. They're dead."


	7. It's A Matter of Physics

**A/N: Happy Thursday Everyone! Well, now that we are into the season of all three of these shows, and this story is so far out of cannon for at least Five-O I am going to try and bring us back to a timeline that may, hopefully, keep to the cannon. If you have not seen the season premier of Five-O yet then I am sorry if there are any spoilers, if you have seen it then you will know what I mean by out of Cannon, but I think I fixed it and we can move on from there.**

**Thank you everyone for reading and commenting!**

Chapter 7: It's A Matter of Physics

Sam and Callen exchanged looked again as the news settled with the rest of the people in the boat house.

"So much for Frank's ransom demands." Kono stated.

"Indeed, Officer Kalakaua, and judging by the information we've been able to gather, thanks to Lieutenant Rollins, we believe that Frank has either already gotten what he's looking for or that Commander McGarrett's presence here in California is a decoy for something else that may be happening in Hawaii." Hetty explained. "Detective Deeks, Agent Blye, I want you to head out to the Sana Monica with Doctor Bergman, Detective Kelly and Detective Williams. Take Wolowitz and Koothrappali with you."

"But they're not law enforcement." Deeks protested.

"On the contrary," Sheldon stated and with a nod to his colleagues the four scientists produced the identification and credentials they were issued during their time in Hawaii.

"They are officially member of Five-O." Danny confirmed.

"But as scientists only. No weapons!" Steve warned.

"Ten four, Commander," Howard stated proudly.

"I'll contact the governor of Hawaii and Caltech to confirm their involvement with the case." Hetty smiled as the scientists cheered. "Bring back whatever you can from the LAPD investigation. As for the rest of you, I want you back in ops, and that includes Doctors Cooper and Hofstadter."

Sheldon beamed proudly now that he was sure he'd gotten his way. Callen and Sam only rolled their eyes and exited the boat house with the scientist following closely behind them.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Down at the pier Deeks and Kensi led the way as a frightened and solemn Max Bergman walked right behind them, with Chin and Danny following and Howard looking around in awe at all the police officers, while Raj was silent.

"Hey Deeks, the scenes all yours." Officer Callahan of the LAPD stated as the entourage approached the yellow police tape. "We have orders to hand the scene over to NCIS."

"Thanks," Deeks smiled, "is your coroner on the scene?"

"Yes, she's waiting for yours."

"We usually use yours." Deeks stated in confusion.

"Yeah, we know, but we were told a specialist was coming out with you – Doctor Bergman."

"That's me!" Max stated at the sound of his name and then realized what had happened and shrank back again.

"Doctor Schwartz is waiting for you at the end of the pier." Callahan said and waved the coroner on.

Danny nodded at Max to confirm his movement and Max headed ff down the pier to where he spotted the lone worker, his sentinels and the bodies.

"Quite the entourage you have today Deeks," Callahan teased as the six other people moved to head down the pier as well.

"It's not my entourage," Deeks stated. "Technically this is a case out of Hawaii and these people are representatives of the Governor's special taskforce and their investigation crew." He explained as he motioned to Danny and Chin first and then to Howard and Raj – who tapped their ID badges to prove to the LAPD officer that Deeks was telling the truth.

"Hawaii has a special taskforce?" Callahan asked skeptically.

"Indeed," Chin stated stone faced, "with full immunity and means. As the first line of defense within the Pacific Rim, and a hot spot for terrorist and cartel movement, Hawaii needs a taskforce with our expertise. We are responsible for the decline of crime by twenty percent in the last two years."

Callahan stared wide eyed for a moment as the people before him stepped under the police tape and headed off down the pier.

"What have you found Max?" Deeks asked as they arrived and towered over the two coroners who had found a common bond and were working quickly and carefully over the two bodies.

"Well, from my preliminary investigation, I can tell you that indeed, these two men have been dead for quite some time. Cause of death seems to be drowning, even though these men were hung by the neck off the pier."

"They were tortured before being brought out here to the pier, and then they were tied off and thrown over." Doctor Schwartz added as she motioned to the ligature marks around the neck of the victim that she was working on. "I put time of death somewhere around midnight."

"That is definitely Michael McGuire." Kensi said as she knelt down and looked into the face of the victim.

"But I do not believe that this is your other victim, Agent Blye," Max stated and motioned to the victim he was working on.

"That's Frank Delano." Danny gasped.

"Yes, I believe that he is, but he is wearing Lieutenant Holick's uniform." Max stated and motioned to the navy issued gear and the name tag.

"So Frank isn't our Mastermind?" Danny asked skeptically.

"It looks that way Detective," Deeks stated with a roll of his eyes.

"What else can you tell us?" Kensi asked as she stepped toward the second victim.

"The bodies have been in the water, so most trace will have washed away. They were found this morning by a couple of fisherman who came to the pier early. We have the rope for processing, in the hopes that something might be found on it. I believe we will probably find water in the lungs because the bodies were submerged. My guess is that these men were alive before they hit the water. Even though the rope was tight and impact did cause damage, the water broke the fall. Hands and feet were found bound so there was no way for these men to resurface. Judging by the tightness of the ropes around their necks, breathing was probably very difficult to begin with, but being unable to resurface, and the possibility that the ropes broke their necks on impact with the water, I can safely say that is how they died, and that's all I can say for certain until I get a good look at them." Schwartz explained.

"What a way to go." Danny sighed as he stood and walked away from the bodies.

"It was a violent and angry killing." Kensi nodded as she followed Danny. "But why kill them?"

"Once the killers got what they wanted through their torture, it was just what needed to be done to clear up loose ends and guarantee that they would not be able to identify the men responsible for the torture." Danny answered.

"Then why do it so elaborately?" Kensi asked.

"Gotta have some flair and pizzazz," Deeks said shrugged.

"Maybe Holick is your suspect rather then your victim." Howard stated as he leaned against the railing. "Why would Frank Delano be wearing Holick's uniform? That is, unless Holick wanted to throw you off the trail - assuming that he has no idea that you could identify Delano. As far as he knows, even though he's Naval Intelligence, the ransom demands were given to the LAPD. He has no reason to believe that NCIS would get involved this early in the case, or that Five-O was in California to aid in the investigation. It gives them time to cover their tracks, except you've foiled that plan by bringing in all the big guns."

"So what does Holick want with McGarrett?" Deeks asked.

"That, sir, is the mystery." Howard stated with a little fanfare and a grand gesture with his arms.

"Alright, Max, do you mind doing these autopsies for NCIS?" Danny asked with a sigh.

"It would be my pleasure." Max smiled.

"Alright, you stay with Doctor Schwartz. We had better bring this information back to Hetty."

"She's not going to be happy that we still have nada!" Deeks sighed and followed Danny back down the pier.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Sam and Callen led the way up the stairs to the ops center as Sheldon and Leonard walked on quietly admiring everything in a shocked state of awe.

"Welcome gentlemen," Hetty stated as Sheldon and Leonard walked into the ops office.

"Thank you for having us," Sheldon stated as Hetty reached to shake his hand. "Quite the lovely representation of the eighteenth century hacienda style of design, it really doesn't quite feel like a special operations building. Quite refreshing I must stay, though a little to bright and rustic for my liking. It's too homey." Sheldon spoke without taking Hetty's hand, "though this room is a fantastic balance of old and new. I like the rustic touches and the modernism of your electronic. I love how you've made it all work so seamlessly. Yes, this will do quite nicely. I'll be able to function quite well in here, I believe."

"Thank you." Eric stated as he and Nell watched Sheldon with suspicion and looked to Hetty for assurances of the safety of their work space.

"He won't touch you." Leonard said as he stepped in and took Hetty's hand, setting both Eric and Nell at ease as well. "He suffered from a rather sever obsessive compulsive disorder which involves contact with almost anything that may carry germs or bacteria. Your work area is safe as long as you don't let him try to disinfect and begin nesting."

"I see," Hetty nodded and turned her attention back to Sheldon who walked about seeming to ponder his new environment.

"Suffer, I'd do not suffer Leonard, I'm rationally concerned." Sheldon corrected. "Because of all the anti-bacterial and germ killing medications in our society, the evolution of our great species is under attack by the world's new super bugs. They will take over the world because we, as a species, are systematically reversing our own evolutionary state by ruining our already fragile immune systems. I have devoted my life to the avoidance of any such contact that would put me at risk of contracting any such super bug, and although I do sanitize a bit too often, perhaps, I don't regret it. I'd like to live long enough to publish my many theories, use my time machine and accept my multiple Noble Prizes. Besides, I've never been the kind of man to desperately crave human contact. I find it tedious. It's nothing against you Miss. Lange. A woman of your knowledge and understanding must be able to see the dangers in physical contact."

Hetty stared on in amused confusion. Sheldon, the man, was an enigma, and just the sort of person that Hetty took great pleasure in observing.

"I understand Doctor Cooper." Hetty smiled and with a nonchalant wave of her hand dismissed the rudeness.

"We call him quirky," Leonard whispered, "but he seems to like you."

Hetty nodded her understanding.

"What was so important that you split us up and brought in the outsiders?" Sam asked once all of the second set of introduction had been made.

"There is something not quite right about this whole situation." Hetty confessed. "None of it makes sense and there are still no connections to be found linking Commander McGarrett with our two Intelligence Officers – not for lack of trying. Mr. Beale and Miss. Jones have done their absolute best."

"Lieutenant Rollins has taken precautions on the island to protect the Five-O assets at this time and your mother is being relocated again to protect her in your absence." Hetty explained while she addressed Steve. "What I need now is everything you can tell me about Frank Delano because I am at a loss for answers and I believe that what you may have to say, Officer Kalakaua, may lead us in the right direction." She added as she turned to Kono.

"He's a scumbag and a corrupt cop. He'll take any opportunity he can to make money. Money and his own safety are all that matters. While I was undercover with him I saw him deal in weapons, drugs, human trafficking, whatever he could dip into." Kono explained. "He saw himself as a kind of Robin Hood character, only he took from people as bad as himself and gave to the highest bidder. He believed he continued to do what he had done as a cop, only with more reimbursement for his trouble."

"Did he deal in anything nuclear, or fuel related?" Leonard asked as he stared at an image on the screen before him, and everyone was shocked that the quiet physicist had even spoken.

"Not that I was aware of, why?" Kono asked.

"Because I know this guy," Leonard answered. "Six years ago I was working in accordance with the Department of Defense and NASA trying to create a new, cleaner burning jet fuel - something that could be produced cheaply and would fuel the next way in the shuttle program. What I came up with was a little cleaner and a lot more volatile. I wasn't going to power any shuttles with it, but in the wrong hands it could have leveled buildings and whole city blocks if you had enough of it. The project was side lined shortly after an out of lab incidence with an elevator and thus ended my dealings with Lieutenant Maksim Holick, but until that point he had been one of my handles in the lab. I knew he worked for Naval Intelligence and the Department of Defense, but he was also a very bright physicist."

"It says nothing about that in his file." Eric stated.

"Look deeper, Mr. Beale." Hetty ordered.

"Do you think this has something to do with the fabrication of bombs?" Callen asked as he looked to Hetty. "Could Frank Delano be branching out into the arms trade?"

"I hope not, Agent Callen, I truly hope not."


	8. A Plot Is Hatched

**A/N: this is a short filler chapter which deals with a lot of division of tasked. Steve and Sam partner up, leaving Danny with Callen. It should make for an interesting dynamic in the next chapter.**

Chapter 8: A Plot Is Hatched

"Frank Delano is dead." Deeks announced as he was followed into the ops center and it became overly crowded with agents and scientist.

A hush fell as everyone turned and stared.

"Not quite the reaction I was expecting," Deeks stated as he turned to Kensi, "but I'll take it."

Kensi rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Are you quite certain, Detective Deeks?" Hetty asked.

"We identified the body, ma'am. It is most certainly Frank Delano and not Lieutenant Maksim Holick." Danny said with a nod to Steve.

"And the bodies have been taken where?" Hetty asked.

"To the county coroner's office - Max is with them. We should have preliminary autopsy results shortly." Chin said and moved toward the image of Holick on the screen. "Frank was found in Holick's work uniform. It seemed to be enough at the time to put a name to the body. We are now speculating, however, that Holick is the one that is behind these murders and Delano was just used for his skill set. He outlived his usefulness and now we have one person to focus on."

"I agree, Lieutenant Kelly, but to know what we need to know we must follow our victims. I believe that the true connection with McGarrett was always Delano. So where does that leave us?" Hetty asked.

"We could try and see if we can track Delano's movements once he arrived here in California. If we can match him to facial recognition and flight manifests, then maybe we can find people he was associating with." Kono suggested. "I know a lot of the people that ran with Frank's crew. We could look into them to see who's in jail, out of jail and off the island."

"And I still have a few connections with the defense department. Maybe if one of their scientists were to contact them, over law enforcement, we may get farther." Leonard suggests.

"What are you talking about Leonard?" Danny asked.

"I worked for Holick…not him exactly…the defense department but Holick was the one monitoring my experiments."

"We may have an under cover," Kensi smiled.

"Whoa, wait a second. I'm just a mild mannered experimental physicist. I can't go under cover."

"Of course you can't Leonard, that's preposterous." Sheldon laughed.

"But, with us, you may be just what we need." Kensi said contemplatively and then smiled at Leonard. "Don't worry. You'll be perfectly safe with us."

"Kensi do you have a plan?" Callen asked.

"I think I do, and I may involve a visit to Caltech."

"I'm sorry, Agent Blye, I don't think I quite follow you." Leonard swallowed hard as all eyes turned to him. "I'm no longer involved with the project in any official capacity. I may be able to make contact with a few people but that's really all."

"Perhaps, Doctor Hofstadter, you've made an accidental break through in your fuel research, something brand new and exciting, and as such you may need a new assistant in the lab to help you manage your time. I have 'experience' in a few laboratory settings. It would be the perfect place to hide an undercover agent and possibly bring Holick to us." Kensi explained, putting emphasis on her experience under cover, rather then in a laboratory setting. "All you have to do is call your people and see if they will send Holick back for a consultation."

"I guess I could do that."

"You can't go alone, Kensi, and Deeks looks more the disheveled science type." Callen teased.

"Do I get to blow shit up and use lasers?" Deeks asked with a smirk as he ignored Callen's jab.

"Umm, no." Leonard shook his head, trying desperately to hide his discomfort in the idea of bring anyone back to his lab, let alone someone as volatile as Deeks.

Hetty watched in amused contemplation as the discomfort of the scientist started to play out before her. "I like the idea," she said after a long silence where everyone seemed to slowly turn their attention to the one in the room who was calling all the shot. "I'd like, however, for someone that is familiar to the scientist to head undercover with Kensi and Deeks. I think it would do well to send in Lieutenant Kelly. You'll go undercover as another scientist. We'll build your cover as we build Kensi's, and Deeks will work with Howard developing surveillance on the lab. Detective Deeks you are not allowed to touch anything inside Doctor Hofstadter's lab." Hetty ordered and warned at the same time, causing both Callen and Sam to chuckle.

"Do you work with lasers?" Deeks asked as he turned on Howard trying to recover his usual cheerful and joking demeanor.

"Yes," Howard answered pleasantly, "quite a few, actually."

"Awesome."

"I think it would be best to keep Doctor Cooper and Doctor Koothrappali here with us, to work with Nell, Eric and Kono on developing the case, tracking Frank Delano and his crime syndicate and finding anything possible on Holick." Hetty jumped in again before Deeks could get too carried away with his plans for world domination – visa vie, lasers.

"There may be one slight issue with that," Steve said as Raj glanced at him uncomfortable. "Raj can't talk to women unless he's drunk and even then women of authority iffy. He probably won't ever be able to speak directly to you, Miss. Lange. He might not speak to you either, Sam, as he seems to be terrified of Navy SEALs as well."

Raj's eyes grew wide as he stared at Sam.

"Is this true?" Hetty asked sympathetically.

Raj nodded crestfallen.

"Well, I have a bottle of Cognac in my office. I will fetch you a drink and you should be fine to work in ops with Nell and Kono. I will stay out of your way." Hetty smiled and petted Raj on the arm. "No need to fear."

"But he can talk to you?" Sam asked as he watched Raj suspiciously.

"We had a break through. The last case Raj helped with, he broke the case for us. It all worked out very well." Steve said with a smile toward his friend.

Raj coloured and hid behind Howard.

"What about us?" Callen asked Hetty as he stood beside his partner and Steve.

"Ah yes, I've not forgotten about you, agent Callen. I would like to see Steve and Sam make a trip to Coronado and see if you can't get us some intell into Lieutenant Holick. I have a feeling we aren't getting the whole truth when it come to that man. As for you, Callen, I'm giving you Detective Williams and I'm sending you to the scene of the crime. See if you can't bring me back something, anything, from the bar or the surrounding buildings where our first three victims were found. Someone had to have seen something."

"Alright, I'll drive," Callen said as he turned toward Danny.

"I never drive, so lead the way."


	9. Getting To Know You

**A/N: I know so many of you were looking forward to seeing each division of the group and how they would get alone. My favorite, I'll tell you right now, is Danny and Callen. I am really enjoying writing those two together. I hope you like them too!**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 9: Getting to Know You

The awkward silence in the car was deafening between Danny and Callen as Danny road passenger through the unfamiliar streets of Los Angeles.

"So, how did you come to know a pack of doctors?" Callen asked as he stared straight ahead at the road before him.

"We met them through Max Bergman – our medical examiner. He's got a background in physics, he's really smart, as well as his medical license, and they all came to Hawaii for a conference put on by the University of Hawaii. There are actually three more members of their group that change the dynamic completely when you get them all together," Danny explained, reminiscing fondly on the change of heart that he had when first introduced to a wild pack of Californian scientists and their women folk.

"Are they all doctors?"

"Not Howard – he's just an engineer and astronaut – which is totally cool. He's married to Bernadette, who is a doctor of microbiology. Amy is dating Sheldon, in a very unconventional relationship, and they are both doctors which clashes because Amy specializes in Neurobiology and Sheldon thinks that Theoretical Physics is far more advances then studies of the brain. Then there is Penny. She hasn't really spoken about her education but she's got street smarts and she's kind of the glue that brings them all together and helps them survive in the world. I'm sure that you've notice it – they aren't the most socially aware people you'll ever meet."

"Especially Sheldon."

"Oh Sheldon." Danny laughed to himself as he smiled. "When we first met Sheldon Cooper he was getting off an airplane in sunny Honolulu dressed from head to toe in medical equipment – mask, booties, gloves, you name it he was wearing it. It was all a ploy to avoid contact with airplane germs. I'm surprised he didn't ask if Steve and I, and the rest of the crew for that matter, had decontaminated before we met up with them, but then again he was too busy trying to find us and get involved in our business here in California. Leonard introduced him as Professor Wack-a-doodle, and that turned out to be the most accurate representation of a man whose knowledge of the universe is so vast that he never truly learned how to function in his own environment. He's a genius but he's got the social mentality of a twelve year old."

"You've profiled him well," Callen commented and knew that through his own observations he'd come to the same conclusions about the doctor in question.

"It's in my job description, Agent Callen."

"What about Leonard – what can you tell me about him?" Callen asked.

"Leonard is brilliant in his own right. He's more advanced socially then Sheldon. He's madly in love with Penny, and how a guy like him got his hands on a girl like her, I'll never know. I will make sure that you meet her and maybe you can tell me how such a thing happens. He's got mommy issues, worse then McGarrett, but he is determined not to let his brilliance cloud his view of the world."

"And what about Rajesh – what is that guys deal?" Callen asked with a smirk as he turned to look at Danny. "I don't think he spoke two words the whole time I've known him – granted it hasn't been that long."

"Raj is another very special, very delicate, case. He is also brilliant but he's clearly not from around here and I think he's watched a few too many American cop shows so he's paranoid that if he slips up, even just a little bit, he'll be sent back to India, and from what I have gathered he really doesn't want to go back there," Danny explained.

"Can he really not speak to women, or is that all fake?"

"Oh no, that is real. It is a legitimate medical condition. He's been diagnosed. It's a form of selective mutism in which he can't speak to women, some very feminine looking men and people of high authority. Alcohol can usually trick his brain into submission but nothing worked with Steve until Raj proved that in some way he was superior to the Super SEAL, and that allowed him to verbalize. Steve calls it a break through, but I believe it's more psychological then that. He's kinda a profiler's dream subject. I don't know if I will ever truly be able to paint a perfect picture of Rajesh because he's just such an enigma."

"So he really won't be able to speak to Sam?"

"Not now that he knows that Sam is a Navy SEAL."

"Oh this could be way too much fun," Callen said with a laugh.

"Just don't give Raj any information into your background or your plot might backfire," Danny warned.

"My background is all classified."

"And if you even so much as hint at that, Raj will not be able to speak to you either."

"He's fine with you, and you have quite the background."

"Yeah, but mine is an open book. I was a cop, then a detective with the homicide divisions of Violent Crimes in New Jersey. Then I came onto Five-O in Hawaii and we deal with violent crimes and all sorts of other big bad things – some of which end up classified. But my business is really just law enforcement and Raj gets that," Danny explained. "He's good with Chin as well, and Kono when he's drunk."

Callen smirked to himself but fell silent.

"I saw that," Danny stated and stared straight ahead at the road. "I know you just got everything you wanted from me. I had nothing to hide, but had I, your Jedi mind tricks wouldn't have worked. I'm playing right into, Agent Callen. I've dealt with people trained by the CIA enough to know how to get around things."

"Thank you for the intell, Detective. I was skeptic about the scientist at first, but based on what you have just said and the fact that Hetty seems to trust them, I believe that they may be helpful after all."

"Oh come on, don't play me for the fool. I saw it the moment Hetty laid eyes on Sheldon. She's fascinated by them and as such she wants to know more about them – to understand them. Henrietta Lange is a legend – she a woman of the world and her background is so diverse that even rumors of what she had done is enough to make you question everything you've ever known. I'm sure she's seen her share of the world's mysteries and has become the perfect person to analyze and profile anything. I don't think trust is an issue because she can see that they aren't dangerous – oblivious maybe, but no more dangerous then an infant," Danny stated with a rant on the tip of his tongue. "If Hetty saw anything in them, it's that Doctor Wack-a-doodle and his band of henchmen are entertaining to observe and, because of their combined genius, they are very helpful people to have around."

"We have a guy like that, you've met Deeks. I'm just interested to see how he meshes with them," Callen said with a smile. "He's smarter then he lets on."

"As long as he doesn't hit on Penny, we'll be fine."

"Oh he will," Callen stated.

"Then it's going to be an interesting two weeks," Danny said with a laugh.

"So we're good, Detective?" Callen asked as the awkwardness seems to melt away.

"I've got your back," Danny answered with a nod as they pulled to a stop outside the bar they had been searching for and Callen's phone started to ring.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Meanwhile, at Caltech…

Kensi and Chin followed Leonard through the halls as he led the way to his laboratory.

Kensi was dressed in a floor length printed skirt with sneakers and a peasant top. Her hair was braided and coiled up on the top of her head. She sported glasses and carried in her arms a stack of text books and files. She took small, quick, steps and watched everything around her like it was all brand new and brilliant. Occasionally she would push the glasses back up her nose as they slipped down and she'd lag behind as something or other would catch her attention.

Chin also sported glasses. His hair was slicked back, parted in the middle and hung over his ears. He wore the most awkward pair of plaid pants Hetty could find, with an argyle sweater vest over a lime green button down and a bowtie that had more colours in it then the plaid pants. He made a conscious effort to slouch but straightened up every time someone passed him in the hall and if he could manage it he reached out to shake the hand of the strangers and introduce himself as Doctor Mortimer Chang – as Kensi bat her eyes and introduced herself as Doctor Gabby Piccadilly

"You two are freaking me out!" Leonard stated nervously as they walked into his lab and he slammed and locked the door behind them. "I thought we were supposed to keep a low profile and yet you two have introduced yourselves to almost the whole physics department – Barry Kripke even tried to pick you up Kensi!"

"Just try and calm down, Leonard. It's all part of the plan," Kensi stated as she dropped her books on the desk and stood there leaning. "It wouldn't be an undercover op if someone, or Deeks, didn't try to pick me up."

"Doesn't Deeks try to pick you up all the time, not just on undercover missions?" Chin asked.

"Yeah," Kensi answered and smiled.

"I can't do this you guys," Leonard stated as he started to dab at his forehead with the sleeve of his hoodie.

"Just be yourself, Leonard. We'll do all the rest," Chin stated and then pulled a lap top out of the shoulder bag he'd been carrying. He passed it to Kensi and then pulled out a second one as someone knocked at the door.

"What up my science bitches?" Howard stated as he strut into the lab followed by Deeks.

"Word," Deeks said and nodded with a sleazy smile as he walked over to Kensi and placed his arm around her shoulder. "Hey Fern, the nerdy is turning me on."

"What did I tell you?" Kensi rolled her eyes. "The name is Gabby – Doctor Gabby Piccadilly."

"Whatever," Deeks stated and hiked up his baggy jeans, "I'm brilliant."

Deeks sported a pair of dark washed baggy jeans that fell half way down his hip to show brightly coloured boxers and a belt that was relatively useless. His hair hadn't been changed from what he usually sported but he wore a t-shirt with the chemical equation Fe2+ in a circular pattern on the front of it.

"Nice shirt," Leonard commented as he watched Deeks with interest.

"It's a Ferrous Wheel!" Deeks stated proudly. "Get it?"

"Are you high?" Kensi asked with another roll of her eyes.

"No, but I am playing high. It's all part of the cover, Fern," Deeks stated. "Wanna know my back story – oh too bad gonna tell you anyway! I'm working with Howard on the new multi functional space hand. If successful we'll revolutionize the way an astronaut can complete tasks on the international space station."

"Do you even know what that means?" Kensi asked skeptically.

"Sure do! It's going to be so accurate it will be able to reach out and grab shit in space!" Deeks stated proudly. "It's going to be so awesome that, if we make two, we could totally play catch – in outer space!"

"Minus the gravity – that idea might actually work," Chin stated without looking up from his computer.

"Technicality," Deeks stated.

Howard nodded proudly. Kensi rolled her eyes and sighed.

"And what are we calling you?" Chin asked as he looked up from the work he had started.

"Ted, just Ted," Deeks answered.

"Hetty named him Theodore Xavier Blenkinsopp the Third," Kensi teased.

"I'm totally rebelling." Deeks stated.

"I heard that Mr. Deeks!" Hetty said into his ear.

"Sorry."

"Alright, enough with the introductions, we have got to get this lab wired and online," Howard stated.

"Is that the laser?" Deeks asked as he scanned the room and Kensi, Howard and Chin set up the surveillance equipment.

"Yes," Leonard answered and handed Deeks a pair of safety goggles. "Would you like to see how it works?"

"Heck yeah!"

"Alright," Leonard stated, "goggles on," He added and flicked the switch.

"Wow!"

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Steve and Sam walked onto the base like they owned the place. It was very much the mentality of a man who had been beaten down by training and made it through it. They had every right to act in such a way because they had been among those men who had made it all the way to the end of their training – they were the proverbial best of the best.

The admiral in charge met both men as they made their way to the intelligence offices.

"Good to see you lads, are you here to show our recruits how it's done?" Admiral Winchester asked jokingly.

"No sir, though I would love to, we're hoping for a little help from the powers that be," Steve answered seriously.

"I looked into it," Winchester stated and motioned both men into his office, "but I'm afraid I won't be much help to you. The man you are looking for has been AWAL for two weeks. He was supposed to be in Washington two weeks ago but when we contacted the D.O.D they hadn't seen him."

"He's still in California. We have him on surveillance footage from three days ago," Sam explained. "He's been off the grid ever since."

"Maybe not," Winchester stated and pulled a file out of his desk. "Holick and a man based out of Washington, with the Department of Defense, have been working on a top secret project involving technology that will effectively disable weapons simply by scrambling the signals that the weapons put off. As such the monitoring systems also involved a tracking device and those devices have been concealed in the uniforms of test subjects. Holick is one of them."

"Holick's uniform was found on the body of a man submerged in the ocean for several hours," Sam said. "Would that affect the device?"

"It most certainly would. The salt water would disable the tracking device he it had been submerged long enough. The device is made to withstand multiple washes, but the salt would have been enough to erode the circuitry," Winchester answered with a sigh.

"Who were the members of the test group?" Steve asked.

"I can get you that list," Winchester stated, "but it's going to be a short one."

"That would be a great help, and if possible, can you get us the name of the contact with the Department of Defense?" Sam asked.

"I'll do one better. I'll have him flown out here to debrief you on his project."

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"Whoa, Raj, can you go back just slightly?" Kono asked as she watched over Raj's shoulder as they scanned through hours of footage. "That is Frank Delano right there," She added and pointed him out of the crowd. "And I recognize, Rick, Joe and Baldwin," She said and highlighted the other three men. "I can pull up their files from the cloud file we have with Five-O," She added and sat down at another computer and began typing.

"Traveling companions?" Hetty asked as she just happened to come back into the ops center at the right moment.

"More like muscle for hire." Kono sighed and continued her work. "They are pretty much guns and that's all – Baldwin especially. Joe and Rick ran with Delano on a day to day basis. Baldwin was called in when someone needed to be persuaded into talking or if someone got in Delano's way. Later on, after Delano escaped, Baldwin was with him almost constantly." Kono felt the pang of fear and hatred as she talked about he man who had attacked her. Hetty saw everything, written like a story across Kono's face, as she spoke.

"Detestable," Hetty stated and then turned to Nell and Eric. "We need to get these faces into our system and start tracking them. You'll fill in Doctor Koothrappali so that he and Officer Kalakaua can assist you."

"What about Sheldon?" Kono asked as she watched the lone Doctor continue to walk a large circle around the ops center in deep contemplation.

"It has been brought to my attention that Doctor Cooper has an eidetic memory."

"Your information is correct, Miss Lange," Sheldon stated.

"Then it would be safe to assume that you have stored information that may be useful to me. I will be putting Doctor Cooper to work on another special project," Hetty stated.

Sheldon brightened up.

"As for the rest of you, I want you to find me the whereabouts of Frank Delano's henchmen and then I want them brought in for questioning," Hetty ordered.

"We're on it," Nell and Eric stated together.

"Please come with me, Doctor Cooper," Hetty said with a smile and Sheldon followed obediently.

"Can you get me Danny, he needs to know about this," Kono stated once Hetty was out of the room. "If anyone is going to recognize these guys, Danny will."

"We can absolutely do that," Nell stated, passed Kono a tablet and a Bluetooth ear piece and connected her with Callen's cellular phone.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Hetty led Sheldon down stairs to a location familiar to all of her agents as her office. She sat Sheldon down in a chair, across her desk, and took up her own place.

"Doctor Cooper, I'd like your cooperation on a project that you may see as beneath you but, with your memory, may prove infinitely useful to us and the swift resolution of this case," Hetty stated as she folded her hands and tried to appeal to the genius and pride she knew Sheldon to possess.

"I'm all ears, Miss. Lange. I see this as my civic duty. I use my power for good and not evil."

"You will be working with files connected to the Department of Defense. These are high levels of security and consist of our governments secrets…"

"I don't like secrets," Sheldon stated interrupting the floor of Hetty's speech. "I'm terrible with keeping secrets."

"The secrets must remain within the group that is working on this case. You are not the only one keeping this secret," Hetty explained trying to easy the visible discomfort that had come over the doctor before her.

"I don't think you understand. I set back Howard's career when he crashed the mars rover. I can't keep secrets," Sheldon stated. "It has been my life's work to discover the secrets of the universe and make them known to the world. I'm not programmed to keep secrets hidden."

"Well, that works well for me," Hetty smirked. "I need you to break open these secrets and find a link within these file to the men we are hunting. You've seen the case. You know the nuances and the minute details, I know, because they are now stored in your mind. Sheldon, I need you to be the only one, aside for myself, who looks at these files. But I need you do to it because in the next two hours I have to return them to the people who have lent them to me and so I need you to remember everything that is in them," Hetty explained.

Sheldon coloured slightly and reached across the desk.

"I will do my best," Sheldon said shaking as he opened the first file, "but for the record, I don't do well with secrets."

"I understand but not to worry. _We_ have ways of helping people keep secrets that aren't meant to get out," Hetty said with smiled that was almost frightening, and Sheldon felt the full force of the threat in her statement. "I will leave you now. Use my office, no one will bother you here," She added and stood to leave, "and, if it makes you feel any better, Doctor Cooper, _we've_ known for a very long time that Howard Wolowitz crashed the mars rover and tried to cover it up. _We_ know almost everything. You didn't set back his career." And with that Hetty left Sheldon alone.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"Got it Kono thanks," Callen stated just before he ended the call and looked to Danny. "It sounds like Delano didn't arrive alone. Are you familiar with three men on his crew, Joe, Rick and Baldwin?"

"I know them to see them," Danny answered as he leaned on the car and then looked suspiciously at the run down dive bar they had arrived at only moments before Kono's call came in.

"What's on your mind, Detective?" Callen asked and watched the change in Danny's demeanor.

"I don't know if you know this, but I have amazing instincts. It's a gift and a curse," Danny answered and watched as a smile spread across Callen's face. "I could use a beer, Agent Callen, I've had a hard day and I feel like I need to pour out my sorrows to the local barkeep."

"Was it a bad day on the stock market, or perhaps striking employees are making you question whether or not you should shut down your business operation and move it to Mexico," Callen stated as he opened the trunk of his car, pulled a pair of ties out of a case that he kept there and tossed one at Danny.

"I'm feeling the stock market today." Danny smirked as he removed his badge from his hip.

"Here, cover your service weapon with this," Callen stated and tossed a suit jacket at Danny.

"And who are we to each other?" Danny asked as he threw on the jacket and smoothed out the tie.

"I'm your brother, Greg, and I'm in real-estate, but the house that my company has been flipping is way over budget and I'm not happy with the time it's taking to finish the project to get the house back on the market."

"Man, we're having a bad day," Danny stated and watched as Callen hung his tie around his neck loosely and tucked his weapon into the band of his pants for concealment and threw on a tailored leather jacket.

"That's why we're drinking at noon!" Callen stated, pulled a leather brief case out of his trunk and opened it. "We're going online," he stated and handed Danny an ear bud.


	10. A General Lapse

**A/N: Happy Halloween My Friends! So, I thought, what should I do for my readers for Halloween, then it dawned on me…Danny undercover, pretending to be Matthew Williams but being more himself then anything. You're Welcome!**

**Enjoy**

Chapter 10: A General Lapse

Steve and Sam walked back into the NCIS office and were on their way up to Ops when the scene before Sam wasn't what he had expected to see.

"He's at Hetty's desk," Sam said as he stopped, spun around, found his own seating area empty and then turned a shocked and confused look at Steve.

"I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing no one sits in Hetty's seat," Steve commented as he watched Sam with a sense of amusement.

"Don't laugh at me!" Sam stated over his shoulder as he marched right up to Hetty's desk. "Sheldon, what are you doing here?"

Sheldon looked up from the files fearfully and, as panic set in, he pulled all the files together and hugged them against his chest.

"Nothing – Absolutely nothing," Sheldon stated and in his panic he dropped the files on the floor and kicked them under the desk. "What files? I haven't got any files. Nothing top secret is going on. I'm just a physicist, a lonely, harmless, absolutely oblivious physicist."

"Hetty got to you, didn't she?" Sam asked and his own uncertainty faded to amusement.

"No!" Sheldon practically yelled but he nodded at Steve and Sam and mouthed "help me."

"Sheldon, clearly something has you spooked. What is it?" Steve asked the extremely agitated scientist.

"I have an eidetic memory and Hetty wants me to remember all the secrets but if I tell anyone about the secrets she had ways to make me forget. Please don't let Hetty into my head," Sheldon pleaded. "Protect my brain – it's a treasure!"

"She's already in there," Sam said with a glance at Steve.

"Sheldon, we're going to leave you alone now, but if I see Hetty I'll talk to her," Steve said trying to ease the doctor's very agitated mind.

"Thank you Steve," Sheldon sighed and fell to his knees to gather the files. "Wait! No! Don't!" He yelled as he popped up again. "She'll know I talked to you and I'm not supposed to talk to anyone. She's going to use a top secret government death ray on me, isn't she, Sam, isn't she?"

"Sheldon, there is no such thing as a top secret government death ray," Sam said as he shook his head.

"You clearly haven't read these files!"

"You are reading top secret government files on weapons?" Sam asked.

"No!" Sheldon yelled. "These are…about…" Sheldon began to twitch.

"Don't worry Sheldon, we were never here," Steve stated and grabbed Sam by the bicep and steered him way from the physicist in the middle of a melt down.

"He's going to have a breakdown," Sam said with a laugh as he and Steve moved toward the stairs that led up to Ops.

"He's already had one. This is probably his second today. Actually, Sheldon has a breakdown almost biweekly. Don't worry, this too shall pass and once he find whatever it is that Hetty is looking for he'll be back to his old, mad-scientist-mastermind, self."

"Only until Hetty breaks him again," Sam commented with a smirk. "You know she's already broken all of us, and I think Detective Williams on his last visit."

"Danny is terrified of her." Steve laughed out loud.

"Don't get too confident, she'll break you too," Sam said with a shake of his head. "And trust me it's worse then that day in BUDS training when you were sure your legs wouldn't carry you any farther, your head spun from lack of sleep, your stomach ached from lack of food and you had to disarm a bomb underwater after diving for your scuba tank at the bottom of the pool. It's worse then that day you almost gave up and rang the bell, but you'll get through it – everyone does. Hetty has ways to build you back up again," Sam explained, "but in the beginning it's like cold water conditioning on zero sleep and after eating a huge meal."

"So what you're saying is this is Sheldon's BUDS training?" Steve asked as he and Sam both stopped and looked back to see Sheldon once again buried in his top secret files.

"Yup."

"Oh, that poor guy," Steve stated and there was general concern in his looks. "Should I tell Hetty not to put Sheldon through any physical tests? He's not really build for strenuous physical activity. I think he plays paintball and then the rest of his exercise is gained through playing Wii – and maybe running from big dogs and flocks of birds, which he is terrified of."

"No, I think he should be fine as long as he stays in the office - field agents, now they are the ones that should be worried about Hetty's obstacle course."

"I heard that Agent Hanna!" Hetty stated as she stepped up to them as they watched Sheldon. "You are about due to run the course again – you may join him if you like Commander McGarrett."

"We brought back files and a list of possible accomplices," Steve stated nervously as he held out what Admiral Winchester had send along with them.

"Yes, I know, I've just spoken to Harold on the phone. He gave me the heads up about Agent Boyd."

Steve and Sam stared on in confusion.

"He's from the Department of Defense," Hetty added. "He's going to debrief you all tomorrow morning in the boat house."

"Oh, okay," Steve said and looked to Sam for further direction.

"If you gentlemen would care to join us in ops, we'll be monitoring Agent Callen and Detective Williams on their undercover operation."

"Danny's gone undercover?" Steve gasped.

"He's with Agent Callen – he'll be fine."

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

A sharp rap at the door caused all the would-be scientists and doctors to jump and turn as an unexpected visitor arrived at the lab.

"Hey Leonard," Penny stated cheerfully as she walked into the lab and found herself surrounded by strangers. "Whoa, Chin, is that you?" she asked in shocked amusement. "That is not how I dropped you off this morning, and I think you should fire your stylist," She giggled and looked around the lab. "What is going on here?"

"Science," Deeks stated with a smirk as he moved closer.

"Back off, she's mine!" Leonard warned.

"No way. Seriously?" Deeks asked in shock as Kensi punched him in the shoulder.

"Going on two years – if you count the break."

"We broke up, Leonard, you don't have to sugar coat it, but we did get back together," Penny said and looked around. "Am I to assume you're working late tonight?" she asked.

"Just until we get this place all set up and then tomorrow the big plot will begin – the big day – show time," Howard stated proudly. "We're under cover!"

"Oh not this again."

"Again?" Kensi asked.

"Yes, last year it almost ruined my beautiful Hawaiian vacation," Penny stated angrily. "What kind of trouble have Five-O gotten you into this time?"

"It's not Five-Os fault," Howard stated. "If you want to blame anyone, blame Sheldon for not listening when NCIS warned us not to get involved."

"We're involved now and that's all that matters," Leonard said as calmly as he could.

"I'm assuming you're NCIS," Penny stated as she pointed at Deeks and Kensi.

They nodded.

"You tell Steve that next time I see him he's in big trouble," Penny said and then turned on Leonard. "As for you, how could you let this happen again?"

"You know Sheldon."

"Leonard, he's never going to learn if you don't lay down the law once in a while. Why do I always have to be the bad guy – God. You don't always have to let Sheldon get away with everything. He's a spoiled brat, Leonard, and you enable him!"

"I know…but…"

"Leonard, how many times do I have to tell you that you are not cut out for law enforcement, and now you've gotten yourself tangled up with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service? This is way beyond Five-O now. Do you not see that? Do you not see that you, and Sheldon, and Howard, and Raj are in way over your heads?"

"We can handle it," Howard stated nonchalantly.

"Wait until I tell Bernadette what you've done."

Howard shrunk back behind Chin.

"Bernadette?" Deeks asked.

"His wife," Penny stated as she shot Deeks and angry and accusing glare.

"Trust me, I'm not okay with this," Leonard said and motion around the room as he tried to calm Penny down. "Do you think that I like having my lab invaded?"

"I'm totally okay with it." Howard smiled.

Penny shot him a look that could kill.

"Look, Penny, we weren't keen on the idea either but our boss seems to think it will work to our benefit in our current case. So that's why we're here." Kensi tried to calm Penny down and get the situation under control so that they could finish for the day.

"Who is your boss?" Penny demanded. "I need to have a word with him."

Kensi and Deeks exchanged a shocked look and then Kensi pulled her radio ear bud out of her ear.

"She wants to talk to you too," Kensi said and handed over the little electronic device.

"She could just call me," Penny stated and took the piece of equipment. "Hello?" she asked as she placed the bud near her ear. "Excuse me," she added and walked out into the hall.

"What's going on?" Leonard asked once Penny had disappeared.

"Hetty requested a private conversation with Penny," Deeks said as he pulled out his own ear bud and Chin did the same.

Moments later Penny walked back into the lab and passed the ear bud back to Kensi. "You're on your own tonight," Penny stated as she turned toward Leonard just before she headed for the laboratory door.

"What do you mean?" Leonard asked.

"I understand," Kensi stated out loud and the room looked to her. "You all have to finish up here. I'm going to head back to the office and get Hetty, Nell and Kono, and we are meeting up with Penny and the other ladies. There are discussions that need to occur."

"You're damn right there are," Penny stated and after making eye contact with Leonard once more, very angrily, Penny walked out of the room.

"Oh my god, you guys are in so much trouble!" Deeks practically sang.

"She can hear you," Kensi whispered and pointed at her ear.

"Oh shit."

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Danny and Callen walked into the dive bar, followed the bar to the back corner and sat down at the counter.

"What can I get for you gentlemen?" The bartender asked as he eyed the two businessmen with intrigue.

"Whiskey," Danny sighed.

"Double," Callen added.

The bartender placed the two glasses before Danny and Callen and then walked down the bar to the one other person who had been occupying the bar before Danny and Callen had arrived – otherwise, it had been empty.

"Nothing on him," Eric stated and Danny and Callen heard it.

"And nothing on the man at the other end of the bar," Nell added as they followed Callen's every movement through the button cam on his shirt.

"Danny, just stay calm," Steve stated, "you can do this."

"Get out of my head, McGarrett, I can handle it," Danny hissed, "I've been undercover before."

"Prove it to me, Danno."

"You think your day was bad, try loosing ten million in a matter of hours." Danny sighed as he down his drink, slammed the glass back on the bar and summoned the bartender back toward him.

"Getting drunk today, boys?" the bartender asked.

"My brother here has lost a large sum of money, not like he doesn't do that every day." Callen mocked.

"Stocks crashing, left and right - what am I gonna to do?"

"Get it back tomorrow. You only invest what your clients tell you to invest and do what your clients tell you to do. You can't blame the fall on you, it isn't even your money," The bartender reasoned.

"He's right," Callen added. "So stop your whining and try to help me figure out how I am supposed to make up time and money on the property that is sucking me dry and meant to be on the market by tomorrow – we don't even have electrical in the house yet, or toilets."

"What happened to the toilets that were in the house to begin with?" the bartender asked.

"Someone took a sledge hammer to them before the house was repossessed."

"Damn, I'm guessing all the windows were gone too."

"Walls in general," Callen said with a laugh. "I don't think there was a single wall that wasn't full of holes. You could see from the master bedroom into the kitchen and it's on the second floor."

"It was a bad investment property from the start," Danny sighed and stared into his glass as the door to the bar opened and two men walked in.

"So I had a minor lapse," Callen stated, turned slightly and then turned back. "The structure was sound."

"Got it," Eric stated into Callen's ear.

"It's Joey and Baldwin," Kono gasped.

"A lapse in luxury, Greg, you had delusions of grandeur, or maybe you were just completely delusional. That place was a dumb, will always be a dump, and you can't make it anything less then a dump even if you filled it with gold. A dump is a dump. You shouldn't have thought you could make that dump into a diamond on the budget you set out for yourself. It was impossible and now you are over budget, over worked, and _you_ are under arrest!" Danny stated as he and Callen both stood, blocking the two men from finding their way to the back corner, and shocking Baldwin into fumbling with his weapon at the sight of a Five-O on the mainland.

"You got a knack for this," Callen stated as he slammed Baldwin down into the bar and Danny grabbed Joey.

"I work with McGarrett. This was easy compared to his shenanigans."

"I heard that."

"You were meant to."

"Sorry about this," Callen stated as he turned back to the shocked bartender and threw a wad of cash down on the counter. "Thanks for the advice and the drinks."

"Who are you guys?" The bartender asked.

"Federal agents," Callen stated and flashed his ID.

"Do you know these guys?" Danny asked as he motioned to the two men that were now handcuffed with their faces pressed against the bar before the bartender.

"They come in here all the time."

"Have you seen this guy?" Callen asked and took his phone out of his pocket.

"Not in a few days, but he'd been in here too – Often."

"We have a positive ID on Holick," Callen stated.

"Who are you talking to?" the bartender asked.

"Big brother," Danny answered.

"LAPD are on their way to take the statement from the bartender. Bring the suspects back to the boat house." Hetty ordered.

"Did these guys ever cause you any trouble?" Danny asked as he turned one last time to the bartender.

"There was one guy they came in with; he hasn't been around since the last time I saw that other guy. He ran up a pretty good tab and bounced before I could get him to pay. These two keep telling me he'll be back with my money."

"Is this the guy?" Danny asked and showed a photo of Frank Delano.

"Yeah, that's him."

"You got surveillance in here?" Danny asked.

"Yes."

"We're going to need your logged surveillance," Danny said with a sigh and pulled his wallet out of his pant pocket. "How much does Frankie owe you?"

"Two hundred dollars – he was buying the whole bar rounds."

"Keep the recipe Detective," Hetty stated into Danny's ear.

"Put it on this card," Danny sighed.

"Why are you paying for him?" The bartender asked as he took Danny's card.

"Because he's not going to make it in to pay you," Callen stated and headed for the door.

"He's dead," Danny added when he was handed his credit card back and the receipt. "Please cooperate with the police officers that are on their way. You seem like an honest enough guy - just trying to make a living. I would hate to see things get ugly for you," Danny added as he witnessed what he wanted from the two men that were handcuffed.

Callen saw it too.

"I'll tell them whatever they wanna know," The bartender stated.

"Good," Danny said and smiled, and then pushed Joey toward the door. "As for you, we're gonna take a little ride."

"Cops actually say stuff like that?" Callen asked as he looked over his shoulder toward Danny.

"We sure do."


	11. The Truth About Malia

**A/N: Hey everyone. Sorry about the wait. I just haven't been myself lately and I feel like I have lost all and any creative drive that I once had. I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. Hopefully the upcoming holiday will help. Until then, how you like this meager offering. I am trying to bring this story around to the cannon as much as possible. I hope you like it.**

Chapter 11: The Truth About Malia

Back in the boathouse, Sam and Steve 'sat' – more like sat, stood, paced, stopped, stared and repeated their motions – waiting for the rest of the overly crowded crew to assemble. They had left Sheldon with Raj and Eric, as Hetty took the ladies, and without explanation disappeared, but before she left she ordered the two men to meet up with Danny and Callen, and their two suspects. After a quick, but silent, car ride, with Sam at the wheel, they arrived at the boat house, and that is where they remained alone and without any information coming in from ops or Callen and Danny.

"What is taking them so long?" Steve asked impatiently as he stopped his pacing and turned toward Sam who had taken up a new seat on the couch.

"Callen's driving," Sam answered and as if that was enough of and explanation Steve slumped into the couch as well.

"I try my best not to let Danny drive. He's got a touch of the elderly about him, and drives like a civilian most of the time."

"I noticed that when he drove in Hawaii. I blamed it on Island time," Sam said with a chuckle, "but it seems like an injustice when he drives a car that is a staple in American car culture. He didn't like my name for the Camaro – you alluded to it – so what did he name her instead?"

"Hetty," Steve answered as a mischievous smile crossed his face. "He said it was perfect after a comment Henrietta Lange had made, just before he left to come home. Something about being provoked, I believe, and it stuck with him. I think he means it as a compliment."

"She'd take it as one." Sam stated seriously. "She may not look like it but Hetty is a bit of a gear head."

"I don't believe you!"

"Didn't you see the jag out front?"

"I did."

"Hetty has three of them. She's currently driving her newest one but, depending on her mood, she brings them all out now and again. Her garage looks like you've stepped into Bruce Wayne's car gallery, but her most prized possession is her 1965 Aston Martin DB5."

"That's such a spy car."

"It is Henrietta Lange."

"What about you, Sam? When I first met you and we worked together you wanted to talk about nothing but your 'girls'. I hope active duty – or lack there of – has allowed you time to spend with your cars."

"When you met me I would have talked of nothing but them, and maybe my music, but since then, and since I've gone through multiple career changes, I've had to settle for one project car, which is neglected for my wife and daughters when I do get free time."

"No, Sam Hanna, the family man?" Steve asked in shock.

"Indeed," Sam answered with a nod, "but come on Steve, you have to see the temptation of a civilian life, a life outside of whatever it is we truly do, now that you are off active duty and into a job that is more work-a-day then you could have ever imagined in the SEALs. I'm surprised that Danny hasn't convinced you that family is the way to go."

"I think he's trying and with you on his side you two might be successful."

"I didn't have the pleasure of meeting Grace while I was in Hawaii but Danny speaks so highly of her and her picture is all over his office, and yours."

"I took him away from her to come here and I feel so guilty about it," Steve said with a sigh as the door to the boathouse opened and Danny and Callen pushed their suspects into two separate interrogation rooms – right past Sam and Steve on the couch. "She's a great kid – really smart – and Danny is head over heals for her."

"It comes with the territory when you become a father."

"You're up, McGarrett," Danny stated as he came out of the first interrogation room – leaving the suspect behind.

"You coming?" Steve asked as he looked to his partner.

"No, I got what I needed in the bar, and as I'm the only civilian law enforcement officer present, I'll leave the loaded questions to you."

"What did you get from them in the bar?" Sam asked.

"They were unaware of Frank Delano's passing. So if they know anything at all, it will not pertain to the suspect we are currently chasing," Danny stated and sat down as Callen joined them, "but I invite you to prove me wrong, and get a few other answers out of these guys."

Steve nodded – knowing exactly which questions Danny was alluding to.

"Baldwin seems to think that Rick Henson – the other man of their party – is the one orchestrating for Holick." Callen stated as he remained standing.

"Let's see if we can get Joey to corroborate," Steve said as he stood and looked to Sam.

"We'll watch from here," Callen said and turned to the surveillance feed.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

For a long moment Callen watched Danny. The usually vibrant detective had become quite silent since they had gotten back into the car together. There was something else in his looks and his brooding eyes that Danny wasn't telling anyone, and in a moments conversation with Steve, Callen saw the same questions, darkness and anger cross the usually stoic SEAL's face.

"These people have history with you," Callen said once they first saw Steve and Sam appear on the monitor for the interrogation room that held Joey, "and I know you aren't telling me something. If there is anything that is going to jeopardize our investigation, you had better tell me what it is."

"There isn't anything that you need to worry about." Danny stated shortly. "Unless Chin shows up before Steve has finished, then we might have issues."

"Why?"

"Because one of these two men, in all likelihood, shot and killed Chin's wife."

Callen turned again toward the scene. He pursed his lips and the same darkness seemed to fall over him as it had Danny and Steve.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"So, you're all here," Joey sighed as Steve and Sam walked into the interrogation room.

"We're everywhere." Steve stated as he sat down in front of Joey. "Where is Rick Henson?"

"He was with Frank. Baldwin and I came to California to get away from Five-O and lay low. Our plan was to skip town and head north as soon as we could and Frank was all for it, but Rick had other plans. Rick and Frank said they had friends that could help us escape to the mainland, so we hopped on board the freedom express. What did we have to lose?" Joey asked as he looked at his hands. "They told us that they would arrange everything and that we just had to lay low."

"Lay low, why would you go back to the same bar that was the scene of a murder?" Sam asked with a huff from the corner.

"The murder didn't happen at the bar, and we weren't even there. It happened on the street. It's a quiet spot, the drinks are cheap, and that is where Frank said he would come and find us when his plan was all ready, and then we would skip town. We check in at that place almost every day, stay for a drink and then leave again. We didn't think anyone would think we were stupid enough to go back to that bar, which made it the perfect place to go to, but I guess you cops are smarter then that. I told Baldwin it was too good to be true. We got out of Hawaii way to easily."

"You had to know that they law would catch up with you after what you had done. We never stopped looking. Tell me, are you the one that pulled the trigger and killed Lieutenant Kelly's wife?" Steve asked with an angry growl, glad that Chin was still at the university.

"I didn't kill anyone!" Joey stated.

"Were you on the boat with Baldwin when Kono was thrown overboard?" Steve demanded.

"No, I just drive the cars. I was parked outside Officer Kelly's house," Joey confessed.

"So who shot Malia?"

"It was Rick following Frank's orders! Neither one of them were supposed to live."

"What is Rick doing now?" Sam asked from the shadows.

"He had some connections here. His cousin or something had a job for Frank and we came with him. We had to get away from Hawaii."

"Is this the cousin?" Steve asked and showed the suspect the photo of Holick.

"No, that guy is the cousin's partner," Joey answered.

"Who is the cousin?" Steve asked.

"She told us her name was Moira."

"Does Moira have a last name?" Sam asked as he came forward and towered over Joey.

"Not that I know of, but she works at Caltech," Joey confessed, "or at least that's what the ID card said."

5-0NCIS:LA-TBBT

"Aren't you glad you have a pack of scientists now?" Danny asked as he pulled his eyes away from the interrogation and looked to Callen.

"This just means we've hit another dead end."

"In this case," Danny said and stood, "but we made some fair headway in another case."

"Where are you going?" Callen asked as he watched Danny head for the door.

"Chin and the gang from Caltech should be here any minute. I want to give Chin the heads up before he walks into this situation – it's what friends do."

"Were they married long?" Callen asked and there was sympathy in his eyes.

"No, less then a year, but Chin and Malia had been engaged before. They were made for each other and Chin was robbed. He was supposed to choose between his wife and his cousin, and they were both supposed to die anyway."

"He chose Kono?" Callen asked in shock.

"No, he chose Malia and sent Kono's boyfriend out to save Kono. Adam made it just in the nick of time. Malia bled out in Chin's arms."


	12. Gathering Much Needed Intell

**A/N: Hey everyone, here's another chapter. It's basically filler…but you know that something is going to happen when Hetty takes people out to get drunk, right?**

**Enjoy.**

Chapter 12: Gathering Much Needed Intell

Danny leaned against the door to the boat house as Deeks pulled up and the four men that had been involved in the University stake out moved away from the vehicle and toward the entrance to the secret government location.

"Is something up?" Deeks asked as Danny greeted them. "Or are you just having a movie moment where you lurk ominously outside in the shadows? It would work but, its broad daylight out here and you're not really doing a very good job of lurking."

"I just need a minute with Chin," Danny answered.

"Ah, still don't trust us, I get it," Deeks teased.

"This isn't about trust. This is about me having his back one hundred and ten percent."

Chin caught the meaning.

"It's about Malia, isn't it?" Howard asked but his voice was hushed as he turned a sympathetic glance at Chin. "Sorry about your loss, Chin, we found out from Sheldon, who has this crazy obsession with Five-O and has been kinda stalking you guys through mass media since we came back from Hawaii. Really, we're all very sorry."

"Thank you," Chin said and forced a sad, but understanding smile.

"Who is Malia?" Deeks asked feeling more out of the loop then before.

"Malia was my wife, and she was murdered by someone from Frank Delano's crew." Chin answered.

"I'm sorry," Deeks said as his face changed.

"So am I," Chin said with a nod, "so what's going on Danny?"

"Callen and I apprehended Baldwin and Joey, they are in there now. I just thought I would greet you and give you the heads up. If you want to leave, we could head back to the hotel and let these guys finish up."

"No, I'm fine, I'll be fine. Let's get this over with," Chin said, "but thank you for the heads up. It would have been a bit too much just to walk in on them."

"That's what I figured, plus I needed the air," Danny said with a sly, mocking, smile, "there are too many egos and service men attitudes flying around in there."

"The joys of being a detective on an elite task force." Deeks laughed.

"I feel for you, Deeks, really I do. We're lucky that three of our four members are cops, and Steve's the only one that flies off the handle and goes all military, super, spy on us. Usually Chin and I can keep him down to earth, but you got the shitty end of that stick here with NCIS. A Former SEAL, and a CIA super soldier, and Special Agent Kensi Blye, and then there is you."

"I know," Deeks nodded, "they just don't get civilian law enforcement. I guess that's why I have to moonlight as an undercover for LAPD once in a while - just to keep me sane."

"Sanity is a far cry in our profession, as it is, then you throw in international issues and terrorism, and we're all totally screwed." Chin stated.

"Law Enforcement has changed," Deeks stated.

"Indeed it has!"

Howard and Leonard just stared on in confusion.

"Sorry to push you out of the loop, guys, we don't mean to," Danny said as he looked at the two confused scientists.

"It's all right, we're used to it," Leonard nodded. "It's like high school and all the cliques."

"You got your jocks – or special agents, and your geeks – being us, and then you have you guys – the popular crew who will side with the geeks over the jocks because we'll do your homework for you." Howard explained.

"You're right," Deeks nodded. "Although, I think I speak for all of us when I say, we'd be nothing without our geek squad – and deep down we're all a little geeky."

"We can only do so much," Danny nodded.

"It's nice to feel needed," Howard stated with a smile.

"So are we ready to crash the party?" Deeks asked.

"Heck yeah," Danny nodded.

"I'm just along for the ride," Chin sighed.

"We've got your back."

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"So what did we miss?" Deeks asked as he, and Howard, and Leonard, walked into the boat house, followed by Danny and Chin.

"We captured two of Frank Delano's accomplices." Callen stated still staring at the screen that showed the interrogation in progress.

Chin's eyes flashed angrily at Danny at the sighed of the two different men, one talking to Steve and Sam and the other just sitting nervously alone in a barren room – Chin was not as fine as he said he'd be.

"Steve is already past the part about Malia," Danny said as he looked at Chin and didn't know what else to say.

"Who shot and killed my wife?"

"Joey said it was Rick."

"And who tried to drown my cousin?"

"Baldwin, we already knew that but he confessed to it," Danny stated and then added, "But only because he was following orders."

"Can we try to drown him?" Chin asked as he turned to Callen for a little more cooperation.

"I'm afraid not," Callen said with a sigh, "though I do feel for you Chin, and I'd want to do the same thing. We did get some information from Joey about Moira from Caltech, which means they are prepared to cooperate with us, that is, unless they are lying, but I can tell when people are lying and Joey wasn't."

"CIA training," Danny whispered to Chin, "he can tell when people are lying." He mocked slightly.

"I heard that," Callen said, but smirked all the same.

"Moira from Caltech? Moira Littleton from Doctor Himesberger's staff at the university, is that the Moira you're talking about?" Leonard asked.

"That's the only Moira I know at the university," Howard stated.

"You know her?" Callen asked as he finally pulled his eyes away from the monitor.

The two scientists nodded.

"Go geek squad!" Deeks cheered with a wink toward the two scientists.

"What does she do?" Danny asked.

"She's the assistant to doctor Himesberger. He's our nuclear physicist and he's retiring this year."

"He's a bit off his rocker, but we chalk that up to exposure." Howard added jokingly.

"Do you think he is the mastermind in this – to get back at the university for forcing him into retirement?" Danny asked as he turned toward Callen.

"He's not being forced out," Leonard interrupted to clarify. "Bruce has been on the count down for three years. He's ready to go. He wants to start the new chapter in his life – his words."

"Like I said, he's off his rocker. He's leaving physics to be a tailor – like a real life, hem your pants, mend your socks, fit your shirt, tailor," Howard explained.

"Retirement – making other people look good since the beginning of time." Deeks laughed.

"What will happen to Moira when Doctor Himesberger is gone?" Callen asked seriously.

"She's already looking for a new job. The new physics that has been hired to take Bruce's place is bringing his own hired help. He seems like a cool guy, but he has been doing research of his own for a very long time and sees this move to the university as merely a change in office space. He's not prepared to train new staff when he has a perfectly good one already."

"So Moira is out of a job?" Danny asked.

"Oh yes," Howard answered. "She was certain that with her skill set, and the recommendations of the doctor she's been working under, that she would have a job waiting for her. She's a doctor herself, but she's not exactly what Doctor Crawley is looking for – apparently - if he had been looking at all. I think he just said that because he didn't actually want to hire anyone else and well, who can blame him."

"That sounds like motive enough for me," Callen stated.

"Oh should I mention that she applied for the job, like the actual physics job, like I said she has her PhD in nuclear physics, but she was passed over because Doctor Crawley has more experience and multiple contracts with the department of defense." Howard added.

"There we go," Danny stated and slammed his hands down on the metal table.

"I don't understand, where do Frank Delano and Maksim Holick come into this?" Deeks asked with a shake of his head. "It feels just a little too pieced together if you ask me – like we're grasping at straws."

"Holick, Moira and Rick are cousins," Danny said, "and Frank Delano and his men were looking for an easy, well paying, way to evade Five-O and prosecution. They are muscle for hire and Frank was looking to rebuild his empire away from our grasp – why not get into nuclear weaponry right at its source?"

"And revenge," Callen stated, "was on the minds of Moira and therefore her cousins Maksim and Rick."

"And so, it all equals motive for murder and possibly more – I got it." Deeks nodded.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Meanwhile…

Hetty watched carefully, a glass of scotch in her hand, as the six women before her started to loosen up. Penny was the life of the party, easily fitting in with the group and guiding the conversation with her friends and the NCIS women. Kensi seemed to enjoy being accepted into the group, talked science with the scientists, and shopping with the other, while Nell and Bernadette commiserated over their short statue. Kono regaled the group with stories of surfing, being the young rookie on an elite task force and Hawaii in general, and Hetty sat back, listening for links and answering the odd, vague, or girly question with a nod or an anecdote.

"So tell me Bernadette, how did you come to be involved in microbiology?" Hetty asked as Bernadette had remained the shyest and quietest of the group of very verbal women.

All eyes turned on Bernadette and she blushed.

"I'm tiny, so why not study tiny things?" Bernadette answered, "and to think that most of the smallest things in the would can be the deadliest, not that I want to use them for evil, Miss Lange, I just, well, they can be very useful in some situations, and I guess, oh god, I don't know!" Bernadette crumbled nervously to the question at hand.

"It's okay Bernadette, we know you're not going to use them for evil," Penny said sympathetically as she poured out more wine to calm her friend's nerves. "So, Miss Lange, why are you using our men for this case? They aren't exactly cut out for it." Penny added, still trying to get a straight answered out of the super spy.

"Some aspects of their personalities are not quite cut out for our business, but others are very useful to me. They have a certain skill set. They are being quite helpful. I feel it was providential that they fell into my lap. I don't mean for it to cause any inconvenience to you and I know that they have Five-O to look out for them. I dare say they have even convinced some of my agents that they are very valuable to our case."

Kensi and Nell nodded their agreement with their boss.

"You do know that Sheldon can be oblivious to what he can and cannot legally do?" Amy asked suspiciously. "He can be challenging."

"Oh yes, we know, we've been monitoring Sheldon since he was twelve and tried to build a nuclear reactor in his parents shed," Hetty stated with a fondness that was rarely seen.

"He did what?" Kensi gasped.

"He tried to build a death ray, as well, when he was five, but that didn't work either," Penny said nonchalantly.

"He's our special little guy," Kono added with a nod.

"So, Kono, tell us about your new boyfriend," Penny stated excitedly as she tried once again to change the mood and the topic of conversation to better suit her abilities.

Kono blushed.

"Or maybe you should tell us what happened to Jenna," Bernadette added.

"It's been a pretty strange year," Kono sighed as she continued, "we've gained and lost so many people."

"I think we may need something a little stronger then wine," Hetty stated, already knowing all there was to know about Five-O and their misfortunes, as she waved over the bar tender. "Tequila," She stated and fell silent to let Kono continue.

"First Governor Dennings assigned a new woman, Lori Weston, to our team to 'babysit', after Steve was thrown in jail for his involvement with the murder of Governor Jameson. She was from Homeland security. I was arrested too, and had this big trial and IA investigation against me, and I was being blackmailed and I was off Five-O, and I was put in as an undercover with another branch of the HPD." Kono explained with a wave of her hands. "Then, Jenna told Steve that her fiancé was a live and she left us to go looking for him, but she lied to us and then she lured Steve to North Korea, and she got herself shot, and Steve tortured. And we went to Korea to bring back Steve. And Frank Delano was part of my undercover operation. At one point Lori tried to shoot me. Then Steve and Danny found out what was going on with me and, they went after IA, and I got shot, and then I met Adam, my new boyfriend, but no one trusts him and it's just a big mess. At one point, because of my undercover, we put Frank in Jail, but he was still pulling all kinds of shit and that all brew up on us, and now we're here." Kono finished with a shake of her head and there was clearly anger and hurt in parts of the story that she tried to hide but Hetty saw through it all.

"Can we hurry up with that tequila?" Hetty called to the bartender.

"Hetty are you sure that is wise?" Kensi asked carefully trying not to sound insolent. "Last time you had tequila, the night ended in a big old bar fight."

"It's not for me, Miss Blye, it's for Kono," Hetty stated.

"Yes, and I'm going to needed it." Kono stated and as the first shots were poured out, she dove back into her tale.


	13. Catching Up To You

**A/N: Hello Everyone! I'm sorry it's taken so long to get around to updating this story but I have decided that this one is to be the next to be to focus of my attention. Look forward to more updates in the coming days and weeks and hopefully I'll be able to being it to a swift and happy conclusion. Thank you so much for sticking around and supporting me!**

**Enjoy.**

Chapter 13: Catching Up To You

By the end of what Steve and Danny would have called an abnormally long day, and as their usefulness began to wane, so too did their energy. Callen and Sam took over with Joey and Baldwin - drilled them for a good two hours to get whatever information they could on Holick and Henson, while Leonard and Howard made a few phone calls to get information from some of their colleagues at the university on Moira.

Step by baby step, a picture started to take shape before their eyes and motive was well defined but what the next course of action was, remained elusive. The decision had been made to carry on as planned in the morning - to be briefed by Agent Boyd and then to send everyone back to the University to carry out the undercover mission. Hopefully their endeavors at Caltech would bring Moira or even Maksim into their realm, and provide answers or maybe a foot chase – Steve's specialty.

It was by this time that Danny started to drift off - his head buried in his arms, his stomach growling with hunger and his mind spinning from the lack of sleep.

"You don't look to well, Detective," Deeks stated as he bumped Danny's chair and he started.

"Time is catching up with me." Danny grumbled.

Sheldon walked in leading Eric and Raj.

"It's time to go!" Sheldon announced as Howard and Leonard looked up from the files they had been working on. "I'm hungry and it's almost my bed time. It's time to go!" He stated again with more force and motioned for the door.

"I don't think we're going to make it for pizza and video games tonight," Steve said and tried to stifle a yawn that had snuck up on him.

"It's simply too late for video games now," Sheldon stated. "It's almost too late to eat but I'm hungry. So come along Leonard, we have to stop and grab something quick on our way home so that we are well rested for tomorrow's mission."

"That sounds like such a good idea," Danny said as he lowered his head onto his arms again.

"You're not on any mission tomorrow - we are!" Howard stated.

"I have top secret business to attend to for Miss. Lange." Sheldon stated haughtily. "So I need to go!" Sheldon added, and sounding very much like his mother Sheldon snapped his fingers and pointed toward the door, "come on we're burning daylight."

The three other scientists stood and moved to follow Sheldon out.

"I think we've all had a really long day," Sam said as Callen nodded his agreement.

"We're just waiting on Max. Has anyone heard from him?" Chin asked as he too was sitting in a corner finding it hard to keep his eyes open.

"He called in from the coroner's office. Rose was going to drop him off at the hotel because the travel was catching up to him too," Eric answered. "He said he had managed a dinner - thanks to Rose - when they took a break so he said not to worry about him. And Hetty has the girls covered so you don't need to worry about them either."

"All right, that settles it then. We'll wait here for LAPD to come and take out suspects into custody and we'll call it a night too. The rest of you can go. We'll have a pair of rental vehicles dropped off at your hotel in the morning so that you can get around." Callen said and motioned to the Five-Os. "I'm assuming everyone will be able to find their way back here for the DOD briefing in the morning?"

"I'm sure we'll be able to get back to the boathouse," Leonard nodded. "HQ might be a different story."

"That's just the way we like it," Sam said with a laugh. "Don't worry. Those of you who have to go into Ops will be summoned and escorted there. For now, the boat shed is our centre of operations."

"Sounds good! Who's driving me back to the hotel to become acquainted with my bed?" Danny asked - his voice muffled because he didn't even bother to raise his head of his arm.

"Eric, can you handle the Five-O drop off?" Callen asked.

"Ten four," Eric confirmed and motioned to the door.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Eric stopped only momentarily so that Steve, Chin and Danny could run into a sandwich shop to grab a bite to eat before returning the three exhausted Five-Os to the hotel that they hadn't yet visited. The food had been consumed greedily in the car, before Eric even pulled away from the shop - Danny was kind enough to buy Eric dinner as well. They arrived in record time at the hotel that overlooked the beach and were ushered out of the car and onto the curb.

"Welcome to California!" Eric stated cheerfully and then pulled away again.

"I swear to God, McGarrett, if you snore all night, I will kill you in your sleep." Danny warned as they got off the elevator on their floor and made their way to the rooms that Steve had booked for them - Chin and Max were sharing and Kono had her own room.

"Should we worry about Kono?" Chin asked as he scanned the floor.

"She's with Hetty. She'll be fine - if not completely intoxicated. It will make for an interesting morning." Danny said as he pushed his way into his room - followed by Steve - and crashed into _his_ bed - or rather the bed that was closest to the door because he just couldn't move any further.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Steve said to Chin and then closed the door behind him. "Really, Danny, it's that bad?" Steve asked as he stopped short to see his partner already curled up in bed, the pillow over his face, and the covers up to his chin. "Did you even take your shoes off?"

A moment later one of Danny's shoes flew across the room at Steve and Steve wasn't sure exactly where it came from.

"You do realize it's only 4PM in Hawaii," Steve said as he moved to close the curtains.

"Sure, I'm aware of that, but its 7PM here and I haven't slept since yesterday sometime, its no wonder time is catching up to me. I'm completely beat and I worked all day. This was supposed to be an easy case and on the first day I had to deal with Agent Callen and an undercover mission. Not that it wasn't a cool gig, and G seems like a nice enough guy, but man I'm exhausted now." Danny answered.

"I am too," Steve sighed, "but I'm not going to let myself go to bed with the grime of the day clinging to me, and we didn't have time clean up after the flight. We dove right into this case head first. Who knows what we might have picked up, and in our tired and weakened state, I don't want to risk getting sick."

"You sound like Sheldon," Danny stated and covered his head again. "I'll deal with cleanliness in the morning. Now stop bugging me and let me sleep!"

"What do you think Kono is doing with Hetty?" Steve asked after a few moments of silence.

"I don't know!" Danny sighed and rolled over to turn his back away from Steve.

"Should we be worried?"

"Why, I'm pretty sure if Hetty wants secrets into your life she just needs to make a phone call. She doesn't need Kono to give her intel into our organization. I'm sure Hetty can get that probably by reading your mind. I'm pretty sure she can do that. Maybe she's just being nice and taking the girls out because they are always surrounded by guys and for once there are enough of them to...I don't know...do whatever it is girls do when they get together."

"Do you think Kono had a problem with being the only girl?" Steve asked.

"Why are you asking me this? Am I Kono?" Danny grumbled. "Please just let me sleep!"

"You're no fun," Steve grumbled and started rummaging through his luggage.

"I'll show you fun - tomorrow when I'm really grumpy," Danny grumbled almost inaudibly into his pillow.

"What was that?"

"I'm going to shoot you in five seconds."

"No you're not." Steve stated as the turned back toward Danny and from somewhere under the covers Danny had produced his weapon, clicked off the safety and half hazard aimed it in Steve's direction. "Give me that!" Steve snapped and pulled the weapon out of Danny's hands.

Danny put up very little struggle when Steve took his weapon away. He simply mumbled something that could have been a string of curses, or maybe something in Italian, either way, whatever it was Steve didn't understand it at all.

"Fine, go to bed!" Steve huffed and retired toward the on-suite bathroom to clean up.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Deeks, Callen and Sam sat together around the table in the boat house as they waited for the prisoner transfer. For a while they sat in complete silence just watching the two men that had been left locked in the interrogation rooms. It was clear to all three of them that for these two men, it was a shock to have seen Five-O so close on their heals, but the Five-O connection to their case was becoming less and less prevalent.

"At least they got closure for Chin Ho," Callen said after a long silence. "I can't imagine what he's going through right now – then again, maybe I can."

"Blood Feud?" Deeks asked.

"Yeah," Callen chuckled.

"Chin Ho won't have closure until Rick is apprehended and behind bars, but with this case and theirs there are fewer and fewer connections. Will Rick be extradited back to Hawaii to face charges for Malia's murder or will that be passed over for his larger, federal and international terrorist attempts?" Sam asked.

"We have no proof that Rick is responsible for what is looking to be a revenge plot by Moira and Maksim." Callen stated.

"We have very little proof of anything at this point." Deeks interjected his opinion as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Hopefully tomorrow with bring something good. One day - it's been one day and it already feels stiflingly quiet in here without all the commotion."

"You're just jealous that Kensi went out with the girls and you didn't get invited." Sam laughed.

"I got to play with lasers today, what did you do?" Deeks retorted childishly.

"Hetty named you Theodore," Sam stated mockingly while Callen nodded his agreement with his partner.

"You're just jealous that my undercover seems more and more likely to be the front lines and you are stuck back here with interrogations and whatever it is Callen did today."

"I went undercover with Danny. We apprehended the two suspects that you are currently watching on that monitor. In my opinion, I was far more productive then you and your lasers, Deeks, and Sam managed to land us an interview with the Department of Defense tomorrow."

Sam nodded emphatically as a grin spread across his face and the LAPD officers walked into the boat house to pick up the suspects.

"Well, tomorrow will be a new day and this case seems to revolve around Caltech." Deeks stated as he stood. "I'll be getting my geek on with the guys and you'll be stuck here. Have fun with that." he added and walked out.

"He doesn't realize that we'll be on surveillance duty outside of the university all day – does he?" Sam asked as he turned to Callen.

Callen shook his head and sighed.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Chin stopped momentarily outside of the room that was adjacent to his own and placed his ear against the door. Since the whole incident with Malia and Kono, Chin had an overly protective nature, but when he didn't hear anything from Kono's room he moved onto his own. He knew he wouldn't find rest until he knew that his cousin was safe, even though he knew she was with Henrietta Lange.

He walked into his room, as quietly as he could manage, and found that Max was already in bed, sound asleep. On the arm chair in the corner Chin found scrubs, a lab coat and other medical supplies that he knew Max had not arrived with, but he would need now that his vacation had turned into work. The rest of his things were unpacked, and organized – overly organized – in the closet and on the dresser and there was a note on the hotel stationary addressed to Chin and in Max's neat scroll.

_Chin_

_ I have left you half of the dresser and the closet for your things. I hope that is sufficient for you to be comfortable and content for the remainder of your stay here in California. I hope it is not an inconvenience to you that I have not waited up for you, but as it has been a very busy day, I am very tired. If you are not too tired when you return, I have left the files that I have been working on with Miss. Rose in the top draw of the desk – in the event that you do not have anything else for your entertainment this evening. _

_ We will corroborate my findings in the morning._

_ Yours in solidarity: _

_ Max Bergman_

Chin shook his head in amusement at the note, but his own exhaustion had caught up with him and as quickly as he could, he settled himself into the new environment and fell into bed – listening only to see if he could hear his cousin return from her adventures.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

One last time, to share their adventure of the day over the dinner meal, Raj, Howard, Leonard and Sheldon sat in the common space of Sheldon and Leonard's shared apartment. The conversation was minimal as they ate - and Sheldon remained oddly and uncharacteristically silent. Leonard kept an open ear to the door for signs of Penny's return. Howard waited for a call from Bernadette and Raj stared blankly at his computer while he shoveled salad into his face and absently took bites of his pizza.

Sheldon sighed audibly as he put down his water bottle and picked up his plate again.

"What's the matter Sheldon?" Leonard asked as he came back to his seat after having check the hallway again.

"I'm conflicted, Leonard," Sheldon stated and put down his plate as all eyes turned toward him.

"You should be," Leonard stated with a grumble and the tone of Leonard's voice caught Sheldon off guard.

"Are you being sarcastic?" Sheldon asked.

"No, I'm slightly angry."

"Angry, why?"

"Because you got us pulled into this and now my lab at the university is overrun with undercover agents and I'm supposed to play along with that. Penny was right. We're not cut out for this kind of work and the more the case comes together before us, the more it seems like Caltech is going to be the target of something major. I would have liked to remain completely and blissfully oblivious to this - planning out costumes of Comic Con rather then worrying about a nuclear meltdown for the sake of revenge."

"Oh my I forgot about Comic Con!" Sheldon gasped.

"That's not what had you conflicted?" Leonard asked in shocked astonishment.

"No, I'm conflicted because I don't think the information that Hetty is looking for is in the files that I was studying today and because of that I am worried that NCIS may take us off the case." Sheldon stated. "I rather like this espionage stuff. It's fascinating."

"They aren't going to kick you off the team, Sheldon. They are too invested in Leonard's lab as a location for their undercover operation. We're invested in this now." Raj stated as he continued to stare at his lap top.

"What has you so preoccupied, Raj?" Leonard asked and looked over Raj's shoulder.

"Eric and Nell gave me access to some traffic cam footage. I'm trying to follow a van that was at the scene of the murders. There were other vehicles that were also suspicious, but each of us in ops was assigned something different and so I am in charge of this vehicle." Raj explained. "It could be a possible lead, or a dead end, either way, it needs to be monitored. If I can find the van in the footage from the pier then maybe I have the right vehicle."

"You were given homework?" Sheldon gasped.

Raj nodded, "I am an important member of the intelligence team," he quoted Hetty and smiled with pride.

"Rats," Sheldon stated with a sigh and turned back to his food.

"It looks like we're all in this way over our heads," Leonard said with a shake of his head. "Again, you got us involved again Sheldon."

"We can handle it," Howard piped in. "We have Five-O to lead us, and I think we've quickly gained the respect of NCIS. We're perfectly safe."

"What are we going to do about Comic Con?" Sheldon asked and again he was conflicted.

"We have bigger fish to fry. Comic Con is going to have to wait." Howard stated as his cell rang. "Got to go, duty calls!" he stated slyly and every moved implied what he was being summoned home to do to his wife.

"Yes, you are right. We had all better get to bed. There will be much to do tomorrow and we all need our rest." Sheldon stated obliviously as he stood from his place. "Leonard, clean this up. Raj, please see yourself out. I'm going to bed." And with that he turned and left the room.

"Oh Sheldon," Leonard said with a sigh and a shake of his head as he saw his friends out and tried desperately to reconcile himself to the discomfort that the next few days would bring.


	14. Danger, Danger!

**A/N: Most of this chapter is development. I needed to try and explain a few things and bring a few things around to what might kind of be considered canon. I tried to explain why Frank would still have been alive after the events of the season three premier…now that we're nearing the end of season three for Five-O and all the other shows for that matter. Hope you like it! **

Chapter 14: Danger, Danger.

The next morning, bright and early, and with the help of a few of Hetty's hangover tips, Kono made her way silently out of her hotel room, down the stairs and to the lobby, where - as promised - Kensi was waiting.

"How are you feeling?" Kensi asked with a smile as the two women greeted each other in the nearly deserted hotel lobby.

"Hetty is a genius!" Kono stated cheerfully.

"Don't I know it," Kensi laughed. "And I'm thinking tonight is going to be even more fun!"

"I'm so looking forward to it!"

"Come on, we had better hit the beach before anyone notices that you're gone." Kensi stated and the two women headed to the car that Kensi had waiting.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

As promised two vehicles were left for the Five-Os at their hotel, and after a longer shower than normal, Danny managed to throw himself across the back seat of the one Steve had opted to drive, while Chin and Max took the second. Kono had texted before anyone was awake to say that she had met up with Kensi and they had gone for breakfast before heading into NCIS headquarters to get an early jump on things.

"They went surfing!" Chin stated as the four men headed down in the elevator to the lobby.

"How, how is she fine?" Danny asked with a yawn that turned into a growl. "She went out drinking, she's got to be feeling the jet lag, and she worked all day yesterday. How does she have the energy to go surfing?"

"It's routine for Kono," Chin answered with a shrug.

"And she's young," Steve said and though he tried to cover it up, he yawned as well.

"Normally, I'd fight you on the old comments, but I'm feeling old today," Danny said and sighed as he leaned against the wall. "I could use another thirteen hours of sleep, a massage, and two days off."

"That's not going to happen." Steve chuckled as the elevator door slid open and Max bounded forward from somewhere in the lobby.

"You've missed the breakfast!" Max stated cheerfully.

"How are you chipper?" Danny asked and rubbed as his head - which had started to ache. Nothing major just that annoying pain that starts and lingers somewhere behind your eyes.

"I'm not really sure," Max answered. "I worked very hard yesterday, but I did get to bed early. Perhaps it has all balanced itself out."

"He also managed to sleep on the plane," Chin stated.

"Curse you," Danny said mockingly and then followed Steve toward the exit as he had picked up the keys at the front desk.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

The Five-Os were among the first to arrive at the boathouse. Danny made a b-line toward the couch and flopped onto it while Chin, Steve and Max took seats at the stainless steal table and went through Max's reports from the previous day. Rose's pier side conclusions had been correct. The two men had died of drowning. Water had been found in their lungs, and they had definitely been tortured. Max noted broken bones in the victim's hands and bruises to their lower abdomens. Frank Delano showed signs of recovery from several gunshot wounds - wounds Chin was curtain had killed him, but when paramedics had gone looking for the body, it was gone.

"Cockroach," Chin huffed and stood from his place at the table and began walking around the room.

"If it is any consolation Chin, I can definitively say that Frank Delano is now dead. Very Dead," Max stated.

"Thank you, Max," Chin said but continued his pacing all the same.

"Did you find anything else Max?" Steve asked as he pushed the files away from himself.

"We sent a lot of stuff away to the crime lab for analysis but the bodies told us exactly what they had gone through. Sorry it's nothing more then you already knew."

"It's all right, finding those bodies was enough to put us on the right path." Steve stated as the door to the boat house flew open and an overly exuberant Marty Deeks waltzed in.

"It's time for a party!" Deeks stated, look around and then sighed. "Where is everyone, and what happened to Danny?"

"I'm tired!" Danny grumbled from the couch.

"Jet lag?"

"Teenage girl McGarrett wanted to gossip all night," Danny stated.

"I let you sleep!" Steve stated.

"Not before I threatened to shoot you."

"That wasn't much of a thread."

"Either way, to answer your questions Deeks, yes, it's probably a combination of jet lag and exhaustion. Don't be fooled by Steve, or Chin for that matter. They aren't taking this morning very well either."

"Coffee helps," Chin stated but didn't deny that he too was feeling overly exhausted.

Danny jumped up and rushed to the coffee pot.

"Well seeing as no one else is here yet - have you guys eaten?" Deeks asked as he looked around. "There is a really great breakfast join just around the corner."

"I ate at the hotel," Max stated, "but thank you for the invite."

"I could eat," Steve stated,

"Me too," Chin nodded.

"Danny?" Deeks asked.

"Yeah, as long as it's not hippy granola or a salad bar, I'm down."

"They do almost everything you can imagine and you can grab it to go so we can run down there and be back probably before anyone even notices we're gone."

"Detective Deeks, I think it is a wonderful idea for you to get my esteemed colleagues out of the boathouse and into a more Californian state of mine. I will remain here in the event that the rest of our investigation team arrives before you have all returned." Max stated and waved his colleagues away.

"Are you sure Max?" Steve asked as he stood.

"Oh yes, I'll be perfectly content here." Max said with a nod and the three other men follow Deeks out of the safe-house.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Upon returning Steve, Danny, Deeks and Chin found the boathouse over run. Everyone had arrived, pulled up a chair and were waiting patiently, not for the quartet to arrive, but for Hetty and their guest of honour.

"What, you didn't bring enough to share with the whole class?" Sam asked from his place at the table beside Sheldon and Howard.

"Had everyone been early - like these guys - breakfast would have been on me!" Deeks stated proudly.

"Are you sucking up to the Five-O?" Kensi asked with a shake of her head.

"Just like you are, darling," Deeks stated and motioned to Kono.

"Actually it was my idea to give Kensi a few surf lessons so that she could kick your butt on the water." Kono countered.

"Wait, as interesting as this whole rivalry has gotten all of a sudden, I can't get over the fact that Deeks bought breakfast for you," Callen stated.

"He didn't," Steve said with a laugh, "but he did show us a pretty great little joint. It's made my cranky partner pretty happy this morning."

"You wanna send our cranky partners out together again today?" Sam asked and tossed a teasing glare at Callen.

"Callen is my kind of guy," Danny stated with a shrug, "no navy SEAL shenanigans to deal with - straight forward, get in and get out."

"Gentlemen, may I offer some insight into the current situation?" Sheldon asked as he held up his hands and stood from his seat.

"NO!" The three other men in Sheldon's party stated and pulled Sheldon back to his seat.

"He's not allowed to speak anymore," Leonard stated. "We'll stay out of trouble that way."

"I was merely going to suggest that we settle this like gentlemen - the honourable way." Sheldon stated with a shake of his head.

"What did you have in mind, Sheldon?" Callen asked with a grin.

"Boxing," Sheldon stated.

"No, no, no," Deeks stated to silence the idea. "We're going to keep this civil. There will be no physical confrontations."

"I didn't mean real boxing." Sheldon stated. "Lord knows that a man of my genius and stature would be pummeled to death. No, I was going to suggest that we settle this later in a strictly virtual setting."

"Like a video game?" Callen asked.

"Indeed Agent Callen."

"You boys can do whatever you want later - we're going out with Hetty again tonight." Kensi stated as Hetty walked into the boathouse followed by a man everyone assumed to be Agent Boyd.

"What, again?" Deeks gasped. "Hetty, where's the love?" he asked and put on his best puppy dog look.

Hetty merely smirked and motioned for everyone to take up their places.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce Agent Douglas Boyd of the Defense Department." Hetty stated.

"Wow, this is more people that I initially expected." Boyd stated as he coloured slightly - he was clearly a shy sort of man.

"Nell and Eric will be connecting with us momentarily," Hetty stated as she sat down on the couch next to Kono and Kensi. "Proceed Sir." She added as the monitors sprang to life and the live feed connected with NCIS HQ.

"All right, I'm here to talk to you about Project Chameleon." Boyd stated nervously. "Project Chameleon is - well was - a top secret experimental project into micro technology that could be used to disarm weapons, scramble satellites, and track individuals as they moved through war missions. It was always meant to be used by the US military to keep track of their own men and to get in and disarm weapons that could be honing in on them via spy satellites or computers."

"What does it have to do with nuclear technology?" Callen asked before Boyd could continue.

"The devices were made to disarm and scramble singles being sent to the nuclear warheads or defense satellites." Boyd stated.

"So why destroy these?" Callen asked as he placed two micro processors on the table.

"Where did you get those?" Boyd asked.

"Out of the uniforms of Lieutenant McGuire and Holick," Callen stated.

"Two bodies were pulled out of the ocean yesterday morning. One was Lieutenant McGuire the other was wearing Holick's uniform. Can you explain how these devices would work and why Holick would want to destroy them?"

"Holick is your suspect?" Boyd asked and coloured slightly.

"Yes," Hetty stated. "Who is he to the project?"

"He's our leading researcher on project Chameleon."

"What is his background, exactly?" Sheldon asked as he adapted an air similar to Hetty's.

"He's and experimental physicist," Boyd stated and all eyes turned on Leonard.

"We're not all crazy," Leonard quipped and fell silent again.

"How do the devices work?" Sam asked.

"Using a series of Morse Code like commands a person sporting the micro units could do a number of things from activate the GPS in the devices, signal and pilot drones in war zone and even send codes and decode enemy missiles and satellites. These are just prototypes of the next generation. Holick was working to make the device more durable, so that it wouldn't break down as easily."

"How close was Holick to developing that technology?" Steve asked.

"He'd managed a second prototype that did much more and was much more versatile. Not only could he now disarm missiles but he could control them, turn them back on enemies and use their own devices against them." Boyd explained. "But the project was shut down three days ago when the new prototypes went missing and news of McGuire's death reached the DOD. Are you now saying that Holick himself is still alive?"

"We believe that he is. His uniform was found on the body of one of Five-Os suspects." Sam explained.

"This could be really bad," Boyd stated and his voice shook slightly. "The problem with the device is it was able to disarm and control our own weapons and not just that of our enemies. If it fell into the wrong hands..."

"It would pose a threat to national security," Hetty finished as the man's voice trailed off.


	15. The Information Highway

**A/N: This is yet another filler chapter. It's kinda meant to divide the team up again and deal with some of the Five-O plots that I don't think have been dealt with very well in the show, especially Doris, but don't worry this will be the last time we see her in this story. I've had enough of her shenanigans. In my head cannon Hetty and Doris didn't get alone with in the CIA.**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 15: The Information Highway

"So what do we do now?" Callen asked as Hetty returned after having showed Agent Boyd out of the boathouse.

"We start where we left off yesterday." Hetty answered. "Everyone affiliated with the Caltech investigations - resume your cover. Head back to the school and get down to the business of science. Make me believe that you should all be there." Hetty explained and made eye contact with Deeks.

"I'm an amazing scientist!" Deeks stated playfully. "Come on, we're going to do science!" he added excitedly and led the way out.

"As for the rest of you, I want you all to assemble in the ops centre with Nell and Eric to debrief and for reassignment." Hetty ordered as all eyes in the room had fallen on her. "Well don't just stand there staring at me. Go!" she ordered and threw everyone into motion once again.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

On the way back to HQ, as Hetty had ordered, Steve and Danny managed to procure one of the two loaner vehicles for a quiet ride - separated from all the action of the overly crowded team - or at least they thought it was going to be quiet.

Two minutes into the drive, Steve's phone rang - flashed a photo of his mother - and he knew it would be the end of their peace.

"What is it mom, I'm a little busy!" Steve stated as Danny hit the speaker button on the phone.

"What the hell were you thinking telling Henrietta Lange that I was still alive?" Doris yelled.

"Like she didn't already know," Danny stated sarcastically and regretted it the moment the words were out of his mouth.

"For one thing, the case we are working on has - or we thought it might have had ties to Wo Fat - making you a person of interest and high risk. Secondly, is it wrong for your son to worry about his mother?" Steve asked as he tried to stem the tide of angry words that were now totally directed at Danny and Danny alone.

"I'm a ghost, Steven. I can take care of things myself." Doris huffed.

Danny rolled his eyes and mimed throwing himself out the passenger side window of the moving vehicle.

"Fine. Whatever. I'm sorry," Steve huffed back and mimed throwing his phone out the drivers said window.

Danny chuckled.

"What's so funny, Daniel?" Doris snapped.

"A monkey riding a unicycle on the Venice beach boardwalk," Danny stated and it seemed to be enough to satisfy Doris - even though Danny and Steve were nowhere near Venice beach.

"Have you found your suspect yet? When are you coming home?" Doris asked and there was still frustration in her voice.

"We're not allowed to discuss the case with outsiders." Steve said mechanically.

"Right, you don't think I know or could find out what you are doing?"

"You can try. Maybe you should call Henrietta Lange to see if you can get information out of her."

Doris huffed.

"Yeah, I kinda figured you'd already tried that. Let me guess, you don't have high enough clearance to demand anything from Henrietta Lange, do you mother?" Steve asked as he chuckled but there was distain in his every word.

"Henrietta Lange and I don't see eye to eye," Doris stated.

"Literally and figuratively speaking," Danny joked.

Steve laughed.

Doris growled.

"Any way, I contacted a few of my sources as soon as I was contacted by Catherine and your WITSEC people. Wo Fat isn't even in Hawaii from what we can tell. So I'm not in any immediate danger."

"Yeah, we figured as much if Frank and his boys were able to escape the island then why wouldn't Wo Fat?" Steve asked nonchalantly.

"Then why put me under surveillance?" Doris asked aggressively.

"Any normal person would understand my concern. Do you have something to hide that has made you so adamantly against a little heightened security?" Steve asked suspiciously.

"No!"

"Then it shouldn't matter if we're taken extra precessions until we come back."

"I don't need a baby sitter, Steven!"

"It's more for my house and my property than it is for you mom. If something bad does happen - God forbid - I want it covered by my insurance so that I don't have to do all of the home renovations on my own and out of pocket."

"I'm going to get my own place," Doris grumbled.

"Suit yourself."

"When are you coming home?" Doris asked with a sigh of defeat.

"Fourteen days."

"Why so long?"

"Vacation after the case has run its course."

"Why didn't you tell me you were going on vacation?"

"Because I'm not a child."

In her frustration Doris hung up.

"Oh you are in for it when you get home." Danny teased. "Good thing you didn't tell her about Comic Con or she really would have had reason to think of you as a child."

"Maybe she will be out of my house when I get back." Steve stated optimistically.

"Ah, so there was a method to your madness? For a second there I thought you were a sucker for punishment."

"There is always a plan," Steve stated with a roll of his eyes, "even when dealing with you."

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Once back at HQ the remaining agents, officers and scientist gathered in the ops centre with Eric and Nell to await further instructions. Hetty came to them shortly after they had all returned - looked McGarrett up and down suspiciously - then proceeded with her instructions.

"Today we will be focusing on the safety of Caltech and their students and faculty. Detective Williams and Agent Callen, President Siebert of the university will be showing the two of you around the university from the inside. Here are your cover stories. You'd better meet up with my agents down in wardrobe to look a little more professional than you do now."

Instinctively Danny looked down at his tie and then at Hetty questioningly but he didn't speak.

"You need to look rich and authoritative, Detective. Can you pull that off?" Hetty asked with a smirk.

"Yes ma'am," Danny answered with a nod and followed Callen out of ops.

"Officer Kalakaua, you will be returning to Caltech with Doctor Cooper, and there you will await further instructions. Set up surveillance from your position in his office and make sure that the two of you are wired with audio and visual devices." Hetty ordered and handed Kono a file as well.

"What will I be doing?" Sheldon asked. "Must I remind you that I'm not very good at lying?"

"I've taken that into consideration." Hetty stated and smiled a wicked and mischievous smile. "The two of you will remain in your office until I've given my instructions." Hetty added and handed Kono a set of car keys. "Pick up your equipment downstairs and make your way to the university."

"Yes Ma'am," Kono and Sheldon stated at the same time and left.

"Doctor Koothrappali, you will be staying with Mr. Beals and Miss. Jones. Find me everything you can on Moira and her movements. Also see if you can get us locations on the remaining members of the test group from project Chameleon."

Raj nodded and returned to the computer he'd been working on the previous day.

"Mr. Hanna, you'll be on patrol with Commander McGarrett outside the university in the event that this operation goes wrong. A secondary NCIS SWAT team will be at your disposal. Go and debrief them." Hetty ordered.

Sam nodded and moved to leave - Steve moved as well but was stopped when Hetty stepped in front of him.

"I'd like a word with you in my office, Commander."

The colour faded from Steve's face.

"Don't worry. This won't be as unpleasant as you think it's going to be." Hetty added and motioned for Steve to follow her.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Steve sat down before Hetty's desk and waited as the little woman folded her hands and stared across the desk at him. The stare was worse than any he'd ever received from Doris, or any of his commanding officers for that matter. He felt like the weight of that stare would make him crumble and his heart rate rose as he tried to stay calm in her presence. Then, and without warning, Hetty cracked a smile.

"I received a phone call early this morning and again just before you arrived here for the debriefing. Have you any idea who it may have been from?"

Steve nodded and then lowered his gaze in embarrassment. "Was it my mother?" he asked.

"Indeed it was," Hetty chuckled. "I'd like to thank you for keeping the high level of secrecy and integrity that we demand out of this office, Commander."

"And I'd like to apologize for whatever she said to you." Steve stated.

Hetty smiled, "as you may be aware I'm not Doris McGarrett's favourite person. We never had the pleasure of working together through the CIA, but I have outranked her all of her career and put a few proverbial thorns in her side over the years. She is a very determined woman with her own ways - as am I - but our methods never really meshed well with each other."

"I apologize again that you had to deal with that. It must have been a shock to find out she was still alive."

"Not a shock at all. As you may be aware I have quite the decorated career and influence. I've always known that Doris was alive, but that isn't why I called you in here, Steven. The truth is I don't believe you are fairing well with this information and I wanted to be of some service to you."

"You'd be correct in that assumption," Steve stated and then relaxed slightly, "but it's my own fault and so I have to deal with it."

"That's not entirely true." Hetty stated, opened one of her desk drawers and pulled out a file. "A man of your training and with the evidence that was piling up around you, you were bound to uncover the truth sooner or later. We - none of us - can run from our past forever. Doris knew that one day her's would catch up to her. Her decisions after that, however, were selfish. Protocol states that, as a ghost, you remain a ghost. You were allowed to know that she lived but she should have disappeared again after explaining everything that you should have been given, but she didn't, now what I have given you is information into the people that are after your mother and why. She was adamant that you not be given that information even though the CIA had cleared it for you. We - all of us - have our own secrets. You deserve these answers but you have to decide if you want to know them or not. I've already dealt with Doris's anger today and she knows that I'd go against her wishes to give you the truth because my orders were my orders and she went against them. My question now, Steve, is this; are you prepared to let her go again if she decides to fall back into protocol? She will always be a CIA agent. She tried for a while to fall away from it - to have a normal life with you and your sister - but we make sacrifices and the past will always catch up to us."

Steve sat silently for a long moment with the closed file in his hands.

"How hard would it have been for me to obtain this information through my own investigations?" Steve asked.

"You were getting extremely close on your own and with your mother trying to cover her tracks," Hetty answered, "but that doesn't mean you would have found it before anything else happened."

"I know my mother is hiding a lot from me." Steve said with a sigh still pondering the file in his hands.

"It's all part of this business we all seem to be wrapped up in." Hetty said kindly and with a very knowing smile. "I may be able to give you some answers but there are many more secrets out there covering up the truth and just waiting to move in and confuse you. The thing about the truth, however, is that it does not like to be covered up for too long."

Steve smiled.

"Now you may go. Mr. Hanna will be wondering where it is you got to."

"I'm sure they are all whispering behind my back about getting sent to the principal's office." Steve joked.

"Indeed, Commander McGarrett. Why do you think I sent Detective Williams off as I did?" Hetty asked with a wink and then shooed Steve away with a wave of her hand.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

As the morning wore on and Leonard started to get used to the additional people in his lab, he managed to carry on with his research and as they played to their characters, Kensi and Chin managed to offer more assistance then just protection.

The morning passed quietly with the lab under full surveillance and very little interruptions from the rest of the faculty. By the time the noon hour rolled around Leonard just could wait any longer and he managed to talk Kensi and Chin into heading for the Cafeteria for lunch.

Together they found a table big enough for five people and within a short period of time Deeks and Howard joined them.

"So how goes the space arm?" Kensi asked as she picked a chip off of Deeks's plate.

"Totally awesome!" Deeks stated and high-fived Howard. "Today we programmed it to launch a paper airplane."

"When it can fold the airplane I'll be impressed." Leonard stated with a shake of his head.

"That would be so epic!" Deeks stated as he turned to Howard. "Can it do that?"

"Theoretically speaking, sure."

"Awesome!"

"I think you've found yet another calling Ted," Kensi stated as a stranger neared the table and then walked right on by.

"Nah. Engineering is way cool and all, but I'm all for the law." Deeks stated as President Siebert entered the cafeteria with Danny and Callen.

"May I have your attention please?" Siebert stated and all eyes turned toward him. "As some of you may be aware, this great university has attracted some of the most brilliant minds in the world, but we also have attracted some of the largest company sponsorships as well. This is Mr. Gamble and Mr. Johnson and they are here to spend their money. They will be auditing and flowing about the campus all day and it will be up to you and your brilliant minds to convince them which departments will win their much needed funding, but there is one little catch because what fun would it be for them if you all just started groveling? No, you must be smart and cunning. You must lure them to your classrooms and laboratories. You must wow them, and that doesn't mean with a mob mentality. They will be here all afternoon. Catch their attention, grab it and hold onto it!" Siebert finished his speech and for a moment it sounded like you would be able to hear a pin drop, and then there was a stampede for the doors and the cafeteria emptied.

"That's one way to clear a room." Chin stated but paid more attention to his lunch rather than the prospects of funding.

"I believe my work here is done." Siebert said to Danny and Callen and then left the cafeteria all together.

"So what was the point of that?" Kensi asked as Danny and Callen came toward the table.

"He was a little apprehensive about having to escort us around and possibly fall into harms way if something went wrong." Callen stated and motioned over his shoulder in the direction of the fleeing president.

"It was also meant to spark Moira's interest. She needs a new job and funding for her research - why not give her the means to scorn the university at the same time?" Danny asked.

"Except she wasn't even in the cafeteria to hear the big speech," Leonard stated.

"Are you saying that gossip doesn't get around in this place?" Callen asked.

"No, but the biggest gossip wasn't here either." Howard stated.

"Sheldon is in his office with Kono." Danny stated. "And Hetty is about to let him loose."


	16. Les Grand Follies

**A/N: Hello everyone – just a small update today because I'm really having a hard time writing anything. My muse has run away and I'm trying to force myself to write but there is just too much good TV on right now – including the new Hannibal show. Everyone should watch it!**

**Anyway, hope you like this chapter. It's a bunch of playfulness with all the right results.**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 16: Les Grand Follies

Kono sat comfortably at Sheldon's desk with her laptop and the surveillance equipment that was on loan for herself and Sheldon. Sheldon stood silently before one of his white board pondering yet another one of the many secrets of the universe as he waited for his instructions, and Kono typed away – seeming to talk to herself – as she, Eric and Nell made sure that all of the equipment was functioning properly.

Kono was dressed in as skirt suit combo that was very much out of her regular style, with her hair pinned and braided up on her head, and she was sporting a pair of glasses that were more aesthetic - because of the camera that was in them - than they were functional. Sheldon was completely Sheldon in his flash t-shirt and corduroy pants - his usual work attire that screamed geek rather than genius.

"All right, I think everything is set on this end of the operation," Kono said seemingly to no one in particular.

"Yes Miss. Lange, I hear you loud and clear," Sheldon responded as his eyes remained fixed on his white board, "but I'm still unclear as to what you want me to do."

"You are going to explain your research to Danny, Callen and myself," Kono explained as she stood, "while causing the distraction that we need to flush out Moira."

"I doubt very much that any of you will grasp the concepts of my research," Sheldon said with a sigh. "Besides I don't see how it is at all conducive to the case. My work is theoretical. You are interested in the nuclear side of the physics world. Why would you be interested in me? And furthermore, why not just arrest Moira? If I've learned anything from the tedium of procedural dramas, it's that cops can do whatever they want to apprehend a suspect."

"Contrary to popular belief, TV has it all wrong," Kono stated, "except, perhaps, in McGarrett's case."

"I can hear you Kono!" Steve stated invisibly.

"I knew you could," Kono responded, "but Sheldon, for all involved it would be better if we can get Moira away from the general population of the university and take her quietly to ensure that no one gets hurt."

"That does seem like the optimal scenario," Sheldon said with a nod as he turned away from the board. "So my role in all this is just to talk physics for the sake of a cover story?"

"Not exactly, think of it more as acting. Callen and Danny are pretending to be very rick men who are going to spend their money on the University. You want that money and we can assume that Moira will want it as well - to further her research. It is your job to convince Callen and Danny that you deserve the money more, all the while helping us get Moira to Kensi, Deeks and Chin in the experimental physics lab, or out to the curb where Steve and Sam are waiting. _You_ are not going to leave the safety of the university."

"Why should I be motived to fight with Moira for the money? Callen and Danny are my friends therefore they should give the money to me by default."

"There is no money to be had." Kono stated. "It's all a lie and Callen and Danny are acting like they don't even know you."

"All the same my research is far more important than anyone else's."

"Prove it, Sheldon! Make me believe that your research is the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe." Kono stated and steered him out of the office.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"This isn't going to work. Sheldon just doesn't understand the concept of acting," Raj whispered into Eric's ear as Hetty's back was turned.

"It has to work Raj," Eric stated and caught Hetty's attention.

"What seemed to be the problem Mr. Beals?"

"Raj is concerned about Sheldon's understanding of his role in the operation." Raj nodded as Eric replied.

"I trust that, under the right amount of pressure, Sheldon will be just fine." Hetty said with a smile and motioned for Raj to follow her.

Raj did as he was told - unable to protest. He was lead away from the operations centre and down to Hetty's office where she poured him two fingers of her finest scotch and handed him the glass.

"Come, Raj, I'd like to have a conversation with you." Hetty stated and watched as the Doctor before her sipped at the amber liquid in the glass.

"Will you be able to participate fully, or shall I ask you yes or no questions?" Hetty asked.

For a moment Raj stared fearfully at Hetty without saying a word. He opened his mouth to speak and promptly closed it again - lowering his eyes to the glass and avoiding eye contact with the very intimidating tiny woman before him.

"Give it a moment," Hetty said kindly, "and keep in mind I've been dealing with very troubled cases, like you, all throughout my career."

Raj raised an eyebrow questioningly but remained speechless.

"Well perhaps not exactly like you, Raj, but tortured, broken souls who become warriors for my cause. Now that's not to say that I plan to make you a warrior - I simply believe that your mind and your abilities are going to be very beneficial to me. Perhaps we can help each other out."

Raj nodded.

"No, I have seen many different cases in my time, from completely reclusive individuals and feral children, to cases of captivity and strong violent tendencies. Are you violent Raj?"

Raj shook his head vigorously

"Ah that is very good to know," Hetty said pleasantly. "I have dealt primarily, however, with orphaned children - but I know you are from a very well to do Indian family."

Raj nodded.

"And yet you are still selectively mute. That is very fascinating."

Raj shrugged and shook his head sadly.

"I suppose it would make general interactions difficult, but I don't believe that it's something you'll not - some day - be able to control." Hetty reasoned optimistically.

Raj smiled.

"Still no speech?" Hetty asked.

Raj shook his head and sighed.

"Well, that is all right. We'll work around that." Hetty said and smiled. "First I'd like for you to return to the ops centre and carry on with the van that you've been studying."

Raj nodded, placed the glass down on the desk and stood to leave.

Hetty refilled the glass. "Take it with you, but be warned, I don't usually allow beverages in ops."

Raj nodded and carefully took himself away to ops once again.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Sheldon walked into Leonard's lab to find all of the primary members of the operation - minus Steve and Sam - looking busy and intrigues as Leonard went about explaining his experiments and his research.

"All right Sheldon, just as we discussed," Kono whispered.

"And make it loud." Steve stated in Sheldon's ear.

"You don't want to waste your money on this research," Sheldon almost yelled.

"Little less loud to start," Steve corrected.

"I'm Doctor Sheldon Cooper, and I can assure you that my theoretical work is leaps and bounds ahead of Doctor Hofstadter's experiments."

"Isn't it true that you two are colleagues?" Danny asked.

"I remember reading a duel authored paper, I believe," Callen added.

"How do you know that?" Sheldon asked.

"We know a lot, Sheldon, just play along," Sam coaxed.

"My research has excelled greatly since then," Sheldon stated.

"Ah, has it?" Barry Kripke asked sarcastically from the door as a crowd started to gather.

"This does not concern you, Kripke!" Sheldon stated.

"Hogging the money?" Kripke asked.

Sheldon waved him off and turned back to Callen and Danny. "If you would follow me, Gentlemen, I would be happy to explain my research someplace quieter."

"Whoa, wait, I'm not finished," Leonard stated angrily to play along.

"Oh no, you're done." Sheldon retorted.

"Do come to my wab," Barry stated, "the insanity is wess and my wesearch much more intewesting." he added and received snickers from the gathering crowd.

"No, thank you. We are rather intrigued by Doctor Cooper and Doctor Hofstadter." Callen stated with a smile.

"Because they are cwazy?" Barry asked.

"Sometimes crazy is a good thing," Danny stated. "In our line of business, we are looking for innovations."

"You make bathwoom pwoducts," Barry stated. "What could you possibwy want with a theowetical physicist?"

"We're branching out," Danny stated.

"Well have fun with Cwazy Doctor Coopah." Barry stated and walked away, but not without coaxing on Sheldon and Leonard with a few more well placed jabs.

The crowd outside lab - and inching into lab - grew as the intrigue of the general population of the physics department could hear the argument that was growing in pitch and volume.

"That worked out better than we expected," Howard whispered into Kensi's ear - much to Deeks' displeasure.

"Why?" Kensi asked as Sheldon and Leonard continued to argue - with Leonard doing his best to make Sheldon more and more angry, and to keep him focused.

"Because Moira is right there in the doorway," Howard stated and motioned slightly with his head.

From the other side of the lab Deeks caught the conversation and looked to where Wolowitz had motioned.

"I got this Fern," Deeks stated and moved toward the door.

"Gabby," Kensi corrected and watched her partner with intrigue.

"Well hello there," Deeks stated. "I'm Ted, I'm new."

Moira looked him up and down.

"No," She stated and moved through the crowd into the lab for a better look.

"Shot down!" Kensi laughed. "Better work on your pick-ups because the ladies aren't falling for them anymore!"

"She's closer to you now." Deeks stated ignoring all of Kensi's other comments.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Danny looked to his right as the woman closed in on them.

"What's going on?" Moira whispered to the stranger.

"A battle of wits," Danny said with a smile.

"More like a battle of nitwits," Moira stated sarcastically, "but why are they battling - not that Doctor Cooper and Doctor Hofstadter are known for getting along all the time. They are roommates who fight like an old married couple, or perhaps more like a father with a spoiled child. I'll let you decide who is who in this relationship. Why are they arguing?" she asked again.

"They want my company's money or their research," Danny half chuckled, "and I plan to give it to them - well one of them - or whoever should convince me they should get it."

"And you've narrowed your decision to Doctor Cooper or Doctor Hofstadter?" she asked in disbelief.

"No, anyone who can convince me they are deserving - or entertaining," Danny answered and smiled. "I'm going to assume that you were not present for President Seibert's introduction over lunch."

"No, I wasn't," Moira admitted and bat her eyes at Danny. "Perhaps you'd like to accompany me to my lab, and you can tell me why you are interest in theoretical physics."

"I'm not really interested in theoretical physics. I'm here to watch smart people fight over my money. It's invigorating." Danny stated. "For two people who are so smart they are desperately trying to make fools of themselves."

"So it's not so much the research as it is a day of entertainment out of the office for you?" She asked.

"No, eventually when the arguing stops, it will be about the research of someone. What is it you do around here?" he asked.

"For now, nuclear physics."

"Ah, renewable energy applications or otherwise?" Danny asked intrigued.

"Well, neither at this moment. Currently I'm assisting in the transition of my mentor to his retirement. Then I'll be free to pursue my own interests." Moira explained.

"Interests involving CalTech?"

"No, my employment here is ending."

"And have you new employment?"

"Not currently, no."

"Would you like employment?" Danny asked with a sly sort of grin.

"Would you care to have coffee?" Moira asked just as slyly.

"Yes," Danny stated and with a slight tap he gained Callen's attention - not that he hadn't been listening in on the whole exchange.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"Parcel is on the move!" Kensi stated as she and Kono ducked through the ever growing crowd in pursuit of Danny and Callen.

"Keep the rest of the crowd occupied." Steve stated.

"Rodger that," Howard answered and jumped into the argument to fuel on Sheldon and Leonard so that no one but themselves knew that Danny and Callen had left.

"Back us up Kono," Steve said as he and Sam waited patiently.

"Kensi and I are on it. Danny and Callen are in our sights. We're following."

"Don't spook the parcel!" Sam warned.

"You act like this is the first time we've done something like this." Kensi chirped.

"First time for the two of you," Sam corrected.

"Not the first time," Kono corrected, "but I can't give details into last nights exploits."

"No you cannot," Hetty's voice piped in. "Gentlemen, these ladies have you completely covered. Just keep moving until the parcel is safe and secure."

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Out in the hallway Danny introduced Callen as the three of them moved through the quiet halls - leaving the arguing noise of the physics department behind them.

"So tell me about your research," Callen said trying to keep Moira facing straight ahead.

"I'd rather speak more freely about it somewhere else. Perhaps I can convince you to taking coffee at a little Cafe across the street where no one can here us. I'm rather passionate about my research and as I'm being chased out of the university, I'd rather not give any insight into my ideas and risk losing them to the new guy."

"We're already out here." Sam stated into Callen's ear.

"Sounds very intriguing," Callen stated. "Lead the way." He added and motioned onward.

Moira smiled. "No real affiliation to CalTech?" she asked boldly.

"Who ever can make us the most money - biggest return on our investment," Danny stated.

Once outside Kensi and Kono closed the gap as Sam and Steve came walking up the same path Danny and Callen were traveling down with their suspect.

"Make your move Kensi,"Sam stated in what looked like an aside to Steve.

"What's going on?" Moira gasped as Kensi reached from behind and grabbed Moira's arm - as two weapons were aimed at her from the front, two from either side and one from Kono who was keeping up the rear.

"You're not really millionaires are you?" Moira growled.

"You're under arrest for the murders of Michael McGuire and Frank Delano." Danny stated in response.

"I didn't kill anyone!" Moira practically screamed as her hands were cuffed behind her back.

"She's all yours," Kensi stated and handed Moira to Sam.

"Meet at the boathouse?" Callen asked and touched his ear.

"Bring everyone," Eric confirmed and the connection died, and the six agents scattered.


	17. Raj Does It Again

**A/N: If you haven't read my first Five-O/Big Bang Theory crossover, you won't know what I mean by **_**Raj Does It Again**_**, but that's okay, it doesn't really add that much to this story.**

Chapter 17: Raj Does It Again

Raj jumped up from the computer station he'd been working at and rushed across the ops centre to Eric and Nell as the connection closed between them and the take down at the university.

"I found it!" Raj stated after a moment of hesitation as Nell looked at him suspiciously.

"The Van?" She asked and jumped up from her place.

"Yes," Raj stated. "I followed it through three days of footage - lost it, found it, and lost it again - until I found this." Raj added and showed a still shot, from a satellite, of a yard full of vans that all looked the same.

"It's a needle in a hay stack." Eric sighed.

"No. Needles," Raj stated, "because there are multiple vans!"

Nell's jaw dropped.

"That's why I kept losing the vans. Then when I traced one back to this lot, I ran other license plate numbers and pieced together the chain of events. One from the pier. One from a hotel. One from a house in Orange County. One picking up Moira three days ago from the university. So I looked into the business documentation and guess _who_ is listed as a partial owner for the rental company?"

"Maksim Holick!" Hetty stated as she walked into the ops centre and everyone jumped.

"Exactly!" Raj stated and then covered his mouth with his hands.

"Well done Raj." Hetty said and smiled. "Once everyone arrives at the boat house, I want you to have a plan to take down that business." Hetty ordered and walked out again.

"Does she always do that?" Raj asked finding his voice again.

"Always," Nell and Eric stated in unison.

"I heard that," Hetty stated as her face appeared on the giant monitor in the centre of the room.

"Sorry Hetty."

She disappeared again.

"Well Raj, it seems like you may have saved the day." Eric stated with a smile. "Again - or so I've heard."

Raj blushed.

"Now that we have all these vans we may have the evidence we need to find these other missing men." Nell interrupted as she pointed at the list of the other test subjects on Project Chameleon.

Raj nodded again, "there is also a home address listed in the business file for Maksim Holick."

"Good catch Raj. You might have a career in espionage after all." Nell said with a playful grin and dove back into her work.

"Thank you, but I think I'll stick with the physics." Raj said jokingly but he too returned to the station he'd been working from and continued to dig deeper into Holick's financial statements.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Steve and Sam arrived at the boat house before anyone else and dove right into the interrogation of Moira Littleton. Steve sat at the table - face to face with Moira - while Sam lurked in a corner. Sam played for the home team, therefore he would have home field advantage, and even though Callen wasn't present to interrogate, Sam would be ready to intimidate. Steve liked the affect.

"So Moira how does a girl like you get involved with a guy like Frank Delano?" Steve asked.

"I'm not saying anything until my lawyer is here - but I haven't gotten my phone call yet so you two may be waiting quite some time."

"Your lawyer isn't coming because you waived all your rights when you got involved in terrorism." Sam said from the shadows.

"What are you talking about?" Moira asked with an angry sort of manic laugh. "I'm a nuclear physicist and a woman. Who are you going to convince that _I_ am a terrorist?"

"You think that those things are going to cancel out the fact that you've killed four naval officers and a wanted fugitive from Hawaii?" Steve asked.

"I told you already, I didn't kill anyone, and I'm not involved with terrorism. My research is all to do with nuclear energy. I may be a mad scientist but I'm not terrorist."

"But you are bitter."

"Bitter that I'm innocent and being held against my will in some run down shack by two men who clearly haven't ironed out their good cop, bad cop, routine. Is this a joke? Where are the hidden cameras? What do I win for figuring you two chumps out?" Moira asked sarcastically.

"This isn't a joke."

"You two aren't the brightest crayons in the box - are you boys?"

"It looks to me like the joke is on you." Steve stated with a smirk. "We're not cops."

"We're Navy SEALs," Sam said with a sigh, "and you're being held by NCIS for the murders of five men, the theft of top secret government secrets and equipment, for aiding and abetting fugitives from the state of Hawaii, and if you must know, the cameras are located here and here." Sam added and pointed at the two corners of the ceiling.

"So back to my initial question, how does a girl like you get involved with a wanted, dirty cop and all of his accomplices out of Hawaii?" Steve asked calmly from his seat.

"How does a Navy SEAL get involved with a man like Frank Delano - if you aren't cops and he was one?" Moira asked argumentatively.

"My task-force followed him here." Steve answered. "He was the big fish back home."

"Oh so you are a war monger and you've brought that all back to American soil - bravo - and you call me a terrorist." Moira stated.

Steve smiled. "I am the leader of a task-force commissioned by the Governor of Hawaii. Clearly some people like my methods."

"Well don't you have horse shoes up your ass, and what did it get you out of - another tour in a country where the people don't even want us there?"

"My specialty is weapons and arms dealers, terrorists and the transportation and sales of illegal weapons and peoples that may pose a threat to national security. You fit into that category." Steve stated.

Sam chuckled from the corner, "he's really good at his job."

"Here we go, circling back around to me and this foolish idea that I'm a terrorist." Moira stated with a roll of her eyes. "I guess it's time for me to bring back an oldie but a goodie as well. I want to talk to my lawyer!" She added more aggressively.

"Maybe we should take over," Callen said as he and Danny - still dressed as billionaire business men - walked into the interrogation room.

"Let me guess - not really millionaires are you. I guess I'm not getting any money for my research now - am I?" Moira asked with disinterest. "Good thing the lot of you aren't hard to look at or this would be a complete waste of my time." She added sarcastically.

"We still want to talk about your research." Callen said as he drew up a second chair - as Steve opted to stand and Danny took his place at the table next to Callen.

"I don't think I'll be saying anything to you without my lawyer."

"Sam and Steve weren't lying when they said you don't get a lawyer." Danny said. "And as we technically work for the government and come here with pretty much carte blanche from all kinds of people, and because we really aren't as sexist as you think we are, we're going to treat you with the same respect and persuasion techniques that we'd use on any man." Danny explained.

"You're bluffing. I can see it in your eyes - pretty boy." Moira stated cockily.

Danny rose an eyebrow to Callen who smirked at Danny.

"It's gotta be the hair," Callen stated.

"I've been saying that for years." Danny said with a nod.

Sam caught a glance from Danny and opened the trap door in the floor of the boat house.

"You gonna water-board me?" Moira asked defiantly.

"No," Callen half laughed as he shook his head. "That's not how water-boarding works, but you're a physicist, I'm sure you could figure that out. I don't expect you to be familiar with torture techniques, but they are all rather complex."

"Oh, and before you ask, it's not Keelhauling either." Danny stated.

"Keelhauling?" Callen asked with intrigue.

"You have a boat house and you don't keelhaul?" Danny asked in shock. "It's Steve's preferred method of interrogation torture in Honolulu." Danny explained, while from the corner Steve grinned and nodded.

"See, this here is what we in the business call networking. You never know what the other agencies are doing until you invite them in to show us a thing or two." Sam stated as he paced along the back wall.

"You men are animals!" Moira spat.

"I find that offensive!" Callen said with a shake of his head. "We were trying to play nice - trying to be civil. Hell, we were even gentle in the take-down and this is the thanks we get?"

"You ambushed me at my place of employment." Moira yelled.

"A place we already knew you were 'let go' from. Just finishing off your contract with your mentor as he slipped gracefully into retirement and you're being replaced by one of the other big names in Nuclear Physics. We call that motive. You didn't get fired because of us. You just don't have what Caltech is looking for in a star Physicist." Danny stated calmly. "And judging by your demeanor and the way you've been sassing all of us, I can see why they passed over you. I wouldn't want to work with you either."

"How do you know that?" Moira gasped.

"Well aside for the fact that we know you are bitter and being chased out of your lab as soon as your boss is out - Sheldon and his motley crew work with us." Callen explained.

"And we have access to more government and international intelligence then most people even think exists." Sam added. "We know a lot about you and have already formed most of our own conclusions based on study, research and networking with other people within your field." Sam said as he pulled a bait box out of the water as Steve placed a rather large knife on the table before Callen.

"Take my hand," Danny said with a smile.

"No!" Moira screamed. "What could you possibly be baiting?"

"You're going to find out." Sam smiled.

"You're going to cut off my fingers, aren't you, and feed them to the fish until I tell you what you want to hear. That's inhumane!"

"We tried to do things the easy way!" Steve yelled as he swiped the knife off the table and slammed it down again - making a horrible clattering noise.

"All right, gentlemen, that is enough of that. Perhaps Miss. Littleton needs a woman's touch." Hetty stated as the door to the interrogation room was opened just before Sam could start to play out the charade. "I'll take over from here. We have a new assignment for all of you." She added and shooed the four men out.

"You're really in trouble now," Callen stated just before he left.

"Now it's just you and me." Hetty said pleasantly as she sat down before the suspect.

"Who are you?"

"Henrietta Lange - but I don't expect you to know who I am."

"I'm not afraid of you, Henrietta."

"Oh, Miss. Littleton, you will be."

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"What's going on Eric?" Callen asked as he, Steve, Sam and Danny walked out and turned to the monitors in the common room.

"Rajesh may have broken this case for us." Eric answered.

"Way to go Raj!" Steve stated proudly.

Raj nodded silently from beside Eric and blushed slightly.

"Kensi, Deeks, Kono and Chin have already been re-directed to a van company on the city's north side and have LAPD backing them up," Eric explained, "but we've also found two other locations that we think belong to the other men on the test list, and a possible home address for Maksim Holick."

"That's a lot of variables," Callen stated.

"Yes. Hetty wants Danny and Steve to check on the two test subjects, while you and Sam hit up Holick's."

"But you have to return those suits before you head out!" Nell stated over Eric's shoulder, "Hetty's orders."

"We'll be right in." Callen sighed.

"We'll have everything ready when you get here." Nell stated and ended the transmission.

"Is it wise to send us in without one of you?" Danny asked.

"Don't you think we can handle it?" Steve asked and there was hurt in his tone.

"This isn't Hawaii, Steve. You don't have your immunity and means here."

"Yes, he does, Detective Williams, and so do you." Hetty stated as she appeared again and unannounced. "For this you'll be acting officially on behalf of NCIS. Welcome to the family."

Steve beamed proudly.

"But Hetty, the only thing keeping Steve under control and on his best behaviour was that lack of authority." Danny practically whined.

"I know, Daniel, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and Steven has a certain skill set that is useful to me." Hetty said and took Danny's hand between her and pet it. "You'll be fine. There will be adequate back up coming to you from Nell and Eric, and the rest of your friends. They will be watching your every move."

"Oh God, I wanna go home." Danny said with a sigh and followed Callen and Sam out to the awaiting vehicles.

Hetty shook her head slightly and waited for the door to close behind the men.

"Mr. Beale," Hetty called into the now silent boat house.

"Yes," Eric answered as the monitor sprang to life again.

"Moira and her cousin are working on bombs, but not as we thought. Get me everything you can on the nuclear power plants in the area, and get me Homeland and the FBI. I'll be back in the office shortly. Put our Caltech scientists on the power plants as soon as they get back to you." Hetty ordered. "If we don't act quickly Holick will be in the wind and we'll all be in very big trouble."


	18. Chin's Revenge

**A/N: Hey everyone, here's another update. The next few chapters are really quite Five-O centered. I've been feeling like I need some of my favourite team in here, and I wanted to deal with some of Chin's mourning. So here is a Chin centered chapter.**

Chapter 18: Chin's Revenge

"So how do you want to play this?" Deeks asked as they pulled up to the van lot.

Kensi was driving the vehicle that Deeks was riding in - Kono and Chin followed closely in another vehicle.

"You and Kono go in. I'll take Chin and cover you." Kensi said and over the wireless the okay came from the vehicle that had been following them.

"What's my angle?" Deeks asked cheekily.

"You're a surfer working with the national organization and you want to rent the vans for the US Open." Kensi stated.

"I have a US champion with me." Deeks boasted.

"Yeah, that's why I'm sending Kono in with you," Kensi stated unimpressed with Deeks' behaviour.

"Everyone who is anyone knows I'm off the tour, Deeks," Kono stated as she leaned in the open window and startled him before he could protest in retort to Kensi's displeasure.

"All the more reason for you to be running this show," Kensi said and shot Kono a knowing smirk. "I present you with LAPD detective Deeks. Do with him what you will."

"Yes please," Deeks stated flirtatiously.

"That's not what she means," Kono said knowingly as she smiled at Kensi and she chuckled.

"What are you two all about?" Deeks asked with something like discomfort in his voice.

Kensi shrugged.

"So you want us to get eyes on Holick?" Kono asked changing the subject as they heard Chin chuckle over the line.

"And take him quietly. If not, we'll just shut the place down." Kensi answered with a nod.

"All right surfer boy, let's go." Kono ordered and Kensi shooed Deeks out of the car.

"Chin, help!" Deeks called.

"You're on your own, Brah!" Chin answered.

"Let's go." Kono ordered, grabbed Deeks by the arm and dragged him away from Kensi's vehicle.

"Your plan really is to throw him to the wolves isn't it?" Chin asked over the radio connection.

"I can handle this," Deeks retorted.

"We'll see," Kono chimed in.

"We're waiting on your signal." Kensi stated and snapped a few photos of the van yard. "If anything, this should be very interesting to listen to."

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Meanwhile, in a silent car somewhere in down town LA - stuck in traffic...

"You should have let me drive," Danny huffed as he picked at the edge of the unfamiliar bullet proof vest. He hadn't planned on needing his - he was only a consultant off the island - so he'd left his back home.

"When do I ever let you drive?"

"Well this should have been one of those rare occasions because I've been here before and you've got us stuck in traffic!"

"What makes you think I don't know where I am?" Steve huffed. "You don't know how many times I snuck off base to explore California."

"Actually I do," Danny retorted, "because Joe told me all about your irresponsible behaviour - not that I didn't know all about it from personal experience. He also told me all about how he caught you, punished you, and molded you into the super human war machine that you are, but remember, you snuck out at night and this is day time and you've managed to get us stuck in traffic. Therefore, I'm sticking with my original argument. Hetty is not going to be happy with you."

"You're more concerned with Hetty than the traffic."

"Yes I am."

"Look on the bright side - the longer we are stuck in traffic, the less likely you are to get shot at. Now wasn't that thoughtful of me?" Steve reason logically, "and furthermore, isn't it nice that it's just the two of us?"

"It's always just the two of us," Danny grumbled. "The change of scenery hasn't been unwelcome, and the conversation has been better."

"Are you going to try and tell me that you're upset that you aren't paired up with Callen? Is there a bromance brewing? Should I be worried?" Steve asked in shock.

"You're jealousy is showing."

"I'm hurt, Daniel, really. I am."

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"Can I help you?" A young woman asked as Kono and Deeks walked into the office located in the centre of the van yard.

"Hopefully," Kono said cheerfully. "We're with the National Surfing Association, and we're in a bit of a bind."

"Yeah, our regular service provider has backed out on us and now we're stuck for transportation for the surf championships that are coming up." Deeks explained.

"Well we have plenty of vehicles that would suit you." the woman stated pleasantly.

"Do you have drivers as well?" Kono asked sheepishly.

"We have a few but we mostly do rentals."

"Do you need a special license to drive one of your vans?" Deeks asked playing the part of confused surfer.

"No," the woman laughed. "We have some larger commercial vehicles that do need special licensing, as well as the busses that we have, but for most of the passenger vans anyone with a valid drivers license can rent and drive one of them. We just need the documentation for our files when the vans are rented."

"So we could rent a transport vehicle too?" Kono asked almost excitedly.

"Yes, but those need a qualified driver."

"Do you have those?" Deeks asked.

"Yes, as long as you don't want them to play chauffeur," the young woman answered with a laugh.

"So maybe we can kill two birds with one stone," Kono said as she turned to Deeks.

"We'll need one big rig to move everything and several smaller passenger vans to transport our out-of-town surfers."

"As long as we can get some volunteers to drive them, we should be fine." Kono said cheerfully and with relief.

The young woman smiled and nodded.

"You don't, by chance, have one of your rig drivers on hands? We would like to talk to someone about the transportation of some of our more fragile equipment - how it would be loaded or prepared for loading. You know, things like that?" Kono asked.

"We do, yes, let me get him for you." the young woman stated and then disappeared into a back room.

"Why would Holick drive a truck?" Kensi asked in Deeks' ear.

"I don't think we'll be finding Holick." Kono answered having heard the inquiry as well.

"What we really want is to see if we can verify that the vans that we suspect are in the yard." Deeks added in a whisper to Kono for show.

"We have eyes on one of them - license plate was verified by Eric." Chin chimed in. "If the driver isn't someone we know. Get him to take you out to have a look around."

Kono and Deeks jumped out of their conversation as the door opened again and the young woman was followed by a man.

"Kalakaua!" the man gasped and bolted.

"Chin, it's Rick Henson!" Kono yelled, drew her weapon, and rushed after the fleeing suspect while Deeks held the young woman at gun point.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

"Finally!" Danny stated as he and Steve pulled to a stop outside a house on a relatively quiet street.

"How would Callen handle this?" Steve asked bitterly.

"Oh my God! Would you grow up?" Danny yelled and got out of the car and walked up to the front door.

Steve had to jog to catch up to his angry partner, but before Danny had reached the door, he'd drawn his weapon.

"Do you smell that?" Danny asked.

"Yes," Steve answered, knocked at the door, and when there was no answer, he kicked it in.

Lying in the middle of the floor, in a pool of his own blood and the foul stench of decay, was the first of the men Danny and Steve had been sent to find. He'd been dead for days.

"Someone beat us to him." Danny sighed as he stepped backward away from the smell.

"Let's hope the last one has faired better." Steve said but Danny could tell that there was a change in his partner.

Shadows darkened Steve's face as he too moved away from the body and made the call for the back up that was standing by.

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Sam and Callen watched the home of Maksim Holick for a long time knowing generally what was going on with their peers. Callen had asked Eric to keep him posted on Danny and Steve's progress, as they worked alone, and he knew that he could count on his team - Kensi and Deeks - to keep them in the know.

"He's either already in the wind and not here, or monitoring the actions of his own accomplices just as we're doing." Sam said with a sigh as he leaned on the edge of the car's open window.

"We're accomplices now?" Callen asked skeptically - never taking his eyes off the house.

"Some people - high up in the organization - may see it that way."

"Granger." Callen stated with a nod. "I'll admit that on occasion we've gone against protocol and acted contrary to our orders - in which case we would be accomplices - but not now. This is a joint task-force following orders in the name of national security. We're partners..."

"In crime." Sam finished.

Callen rolled his eyes and then raised the binoculars to them. "Why would you carry out a plan of the magnitude that we are assuming this is, out of your house?" he asked skeptically.

"Because he thinks we think he'll find a secret lair for all his secret projects, when really out in the open would be the better idea?" Sam asked skeptically instead of answering his partner."

Callen shook his head. "Something seems off." he added and again looked to the windows of the house in question. "There is movement."

Sam placed his phone to his ear. "Eric should there be anyone else in the house?" he asked even though he didn't need the phone - it was all for the show, and the little old lady who had decided to walk up and down the street suspiciously with the most yappy little yorkie Sam had ever seen. Three times she made the slow process around the cul-de-sac never taking her eyes off the Charger parked on the opposite side of the street from the house they were observing.

"Our records for the location say no," Eric answered, "but infrared says there are two, possibly three, people in the house."

"Possibly three?" Callen asked suspiciously.

"Yes, one heat signature hasn't moved. It's large enough to be a person but somehow the satellite can't give us a definitive result."

"What kind of technology could fool a satellite?" Callen asked.

"Probably something involved with project Chameleon." Sam said with a sigh not waiting for Eric's response.

"We're looking into it." Eric said. "Hetty is on the war path because someone is trying to pull the wool over our eyes, and the body that Danny and Steve found has been positively identified as Lieutenant Commander Whitelaw, but the technology is missing from that crime scene."

"Send Danny and Steve on to the next location. We wont move until we know what they find - that is unless we have to," Callen ordered.

"Max Bergman is with the new body now," Eric added.

"Perfect. Hopefully he and Rose will be able to find something."

5-0-NCIS:LA-TBBT

Chin rushed after his cousin at the sound of the name she'd shouted. Deeks gave the all clear for Kensi and she too left the safety of the vehicle and joined the pursuit.

Once around the far side of the building Chin spotted the fleeing man. He was a good distance away from Kono - who ran as fast as she could - but they were heading right toward Chin. Chin and Rick made eye contact as fire flashed in Chin's eyes and Rick knew that Chin knew that he'd pulled the trigger in the murder of Chin's wife. No more than a moment was spent in realizing what was going on, but Rick hesitated, swerved and took off in the opposite direction.

He ran away from Chin and right toward Kono. As quickly as the exchange happened Rick came barreling at Kono. One swift movement and Kono round house kicked the man right off his feet. He fell backward, landed hard but rolled to one side and found his footing. He bolted again. Vaulting himself over a low cinderblock wall and nearly disappeared - except for the top of his head.

Chin vaulted after him, but to his surprise Kensi cut him off. Rick swerved again and headed down an alley toward the traffic of another, busier, street.

Chin fired one shot, made contact with Rick's leg and sent the man to the ground again.

"Just kill me! I know you want to." Rick yelled as Chin caught up - followed by Kono and Kensi.

"No, I want justice for my wife. I want you to pay and I want you to rot in jail." Chin stated angrily as he grabbed Rick by the shirt and pulled him to his feet. "But most of all I want you to feel my pain. You ripped my heart out. You tore off my limbs. I don't know how to live anymore and you, you are going to feel that physical pain that I feel!" Chin spat at he yelled in the man's face.

Rick cried out in pain as he was force to put his weight on his injured leg.

"Now you can feel the pain you put my wife through." Chin growled as Kono pulled Rick's arms behind his back.

"Now walk." Chin ordered as he let go of Rick's front and Kono and Kensi held him up by either arm.

"I can't," Rick yelled as he stumbled.

"You either walk or I'll shoot you in the other leg and you'll never walk again."

Rick bit his lip as the girls held him up, forcing him to remain on his feet as he moved slowly back to the vehicle where Deeks and the young woman were waiting.

Silently, through the moans of an injured fugitive, and the protests of a young woman, the four new friends loaded their people and gear back into the vehicles - never breaking the silence, and never making eye contact with the one man whose heart was still scattered in a million pieces on a kitchen floor in Honolulu.


End file.
